Ruins of the Junbei Water Conservancy Facility in Huotian

Ruins of the Junbei Water Conservancy Facility in Huotian

The ruins of the Junbei Water Conservancy Facility in Huotian are a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Fujian Province.

The ruins of the Junbei Water Conservancy Facility in Huotian are located in Huotian Village, Huotian Town, Yunxiao County, dating back to the Tang Dynasty.

Introduction: During the Zongzhang era of the Tang Dynasty (668–669), Chen Zheng and Chen Yuanguang from Guangzhou, Henan, led soldiers who were pioneering Zhangzhou to construct this water conservancy project that blocked the river for gravity-fed irrigation, hence the name “Junbei” (Military Dam). It still irrigates thousands of acres of fertile farmland to this day. Existing structures include the overflow weir dam at the dam head, a section of the open-channel water diversion canal at Qigai Ridge, and a rock-cut underground canal on Puzai Mountain, among others. Associated cultural relics include the “Shengwang Dam” stele erected in the eighth year of the Xianfeng reign (1858) during the Qing Dynasty and the “Yunxiao Civil Administration Office Judgment Stele” erected in the eleventh year of the Xianfeng reign (1861). The overflow weir dam at the dam head is about 120 meters long, with a plan in the shape of a “Z.” The middle section in the river is built with rough stones, while the riverside sections are constructed with strip stones. The dam cleverly utilizes several massive natural rocks in the river as piers to reinforce the structure; the water diversion channel runs along the river; the Qigai Ridge section is an open canal, while the Puzai Mountain section features a rock-cut underground canal. A well-preserved section of the open canal is about 530 meters long, and the rock-cut underground canal is approximately 100 meters long. Junbei is one of the earlier water conservancy projects in the province and still irrigates thousands of acres of farmland, serving as a witness to the region’s economic and social development.

In 2013, the ruins of the Junbei Water Conservancy Facility in Huotian were designated as part of the eighth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage sites by the People’s Government of Fujian Province.

Protected area: 20 meters upstream and downstream of the overflow weir dam at the dam head; the open-channel water diversion canal from the dam head to the Shengwang Stele platform, including the structure itself and 5 meters outward on both sides; the rock-cut underground canal on Puzai Mountain, including the structure itself and 10 meters outward on both sides; a 10-meter radius around the “Shengwang Dam” stele; and the building at the former site of Chen Zheng’s residence where the “Yunxiao Civil Administration Office Judgment Stele” is located.

Huotian Village: Located at the site of the town government, Huotian Village governs four natural villages and 12 villager groups, with a total of 500 households and a population of 2,120. The village has 72 Party members and currently eight village cadres. Covering an area of about 7,496 mu, it has a forest coverage rate of 62%. There are 1,522 mu of arable land and 934 mu of forest land. The main sources of income are lychee, loquat, and jujube cultivation, as well as labor export, with an average per capita income of 8,324 yuan. The village features historical buildings such as the former residence of Chen Zheng and Jing’an Tower, as well as ancient ruins at Qigai Ridge. … Huotian Village detailed information++

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Heritage Sites in Fujian Province