Shuanghe Weir

Shuanghe Weir

Shuanghe Weir is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Zhejiang Province.

Shuanghe Weir, also known as Shuanghe Pond and commonly referred to as Yang Pond, was originally the boundary line between Cixi and Yuyao counties. Today, it serves as a water-level control weir between the East River and Middle River districts of Cixi. The weir runs from north to south, with a width of 3.3 to 5.8 meters and a total length of 960 meters. It connects to the eastern end of Dongheng River in the south and extends to Zhenlong Sluice in the north, flanked by Yandun Yang Pond on both the east and west sides. The East River connects upstream to Du Lake and Baiyang Lake, and downstream to the inland rivers east of Minghe and Guancheng; the West River connects downstream to Dongheng River and flows into the sea via Yangpu. The water levels of the two rivers are higher in the west and lower in the east, with a drop of about 0.5 meters.

Historically, Cixi and Yuyao counties shared one river. As the Youyuan area belonged to Yuyao and had higher terrain than Cixi, during continuous heavy rains, the water from the Shanglin area of Yuyao would overflow, directly flooding areas such as Minghe in Cixi. Tens of thousands of acres of farmland would be submerged, villages and homes turned into a watery wasteland, and local residents repeatedly suffered from water disasters. To spare the people from such calamities, the two counties jointly constructed an anti-flood hydraulic project—Yang Pond—dividing the river into eastern and western sections from south to north. In the first year of the Jinglong era of the Tang Dynasty (707 AD), local residents built two sluices in Yang Pond: the “Southern Sluice” called Shuanghe, and the “Northern Sluice” called Yangpu, from which the name Shuanghe originated. In the ninth year of the Qiandao era of the Song Dynasty, a local named Cao Kai donated 2,000 strings of cash and led local gentry to construct over 600 zhang (approximately 2,000 meters) of boundary embankment at Shuanghe. From then on, the western flow was cut off, water disasters were brought under control, and the farmlands of Minghe became fertile, leading to frequent bountiful harvests. A Qing Dynasty poet, Ye Jinkeng, wrote a poem describing the changes at Shuanghe: “A stretch of Shuanghe wide, surging with rapid torrents. Ever gathering momentum, here it turns back the raging waves. When will the high pavilion be built? The long river sets in fading light. To raise the literary front, I look to the literary circle.”

Shuanghe Weir boasts a unique geographical location. It not only serves as a hub for inland river transport in the Sanbei area but also functions as a crucial hydraulic project for the people of Cixi and Yuyao counties, used for transportation, drainage, flow regulation, and irrigation. Since the Song Dynasty, it has received considerable attention. According to the Guangxu-era Cixi County Annals, in May of the first year of the Kaixing era of the Song Dynasty, a regional envoy commissioned by the prime minister ordered Zhao Ruoyang to fill in the Shuanghe Sluice and turn it into solid ground, and also funded the construction of two rooms next to Shuanghe Weir with 1,000 guan. In the eleventh year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, due to a water dispute between residents of Cixi and Yuyao counties at Shuanghe Weir, locals from Shanglin Township of Yuyao appealed to the imperial censorate. The imperial censors Cheng Ying and Liu Tingfu issued directives, instructing Gu Shoulin, prefect of Taizhou, and Ding Yi, vice magistrate of Hangzhou Prefecture, to manage the resolution. The Shuanghe Sluice was rebuilt, thereby settling the water disputes between the two counties. During the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty, a “Shuanghe Wooden Sluice” (also known as Zhenlong Bridge Sluice) was installed at the northern end of Shuanghe Weir to control the release of water from the Du and Bai lakes by closing the sluice. In the thirty-second year of the Guangxu era, Wu Jintang, a patriotic overseas Chinese from Cixi, funded the restoration of Shuanghe Weir, constructing 242 meters of stone retaining walls at both ends of the weir’s northern section. These walls were built with herringbone-patterned flagstones and topped with stone slabs to serve as a towpath, further enhancing the functionality of this critical hydraulic hub. After the liberation, to facilitate boat passage, the Shuanghe Sluice was modified into a roller dam and lock system.

Shuanghe Weir is the earliest and one of the best-preserved ancient hydraulic projects among the 22 weirs in Cixi. It holds significant value for the study of the ancient hydraulic history of both Cixi and Yuyao. In December 2003, it was designated as a fifth batch cultural heritage site by the Cixi Municipal People's Government, and in January 2011, it was promoted to a provincial-level cultural heritage site in Zhejiang Province.

Qiaotou Town: Hometown of Yu Qiuyu — Qiaotou Town is located in the central part of Cixi City, on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay. It borders Guanhaiwei Town to the east, Xiaolin Town to the west, the foothills of the Siming Mountains to the south, and Xinpu Town to the north. It is 55 kilometers from Ningbo City and 12 kilometers from downtown Cixi. National Highway 329 and Zhongheng Road run north-south through the town, and Qiaotou Overpass spans across the national highway, offering convenient transportation. The town covers an administrative area of 43.91 square kilometers, with a registered population of 35,500 by the end of 2004. It administers one neighborhood committee and eight administrative villages, with the town government located in Xiaoqiaotou Village.

Qiaotou was formerly under the jurisdiction of Yuyao... More details about Qiaotou Town++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected at the Provincial Level in Zhejiang Province