Long Canal

Long Canal

The Long Canal is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Long Canal, also known as the Baiqi Canal, is located in the southwestern part of Yicheng City. It stretches from Xiejia Terrace in Wu’an Town, Nanzhang County, in the west to Guohai Village in Yicheng City in the southeast, spanning a total length of 48 kilometers—referred to as “a hundred li,” hence the name “Hundred Li Long Canal.” This canal was originally excavated as a military waterway during the Warring States period by the renowned Qin general Bai Qi (in 279 BC) to support the attack on the Chu capital—Yan City, which is why it is also called the Baiqi Canal. By constructing a dam to raise the water level of the Man River, this wartime canal was later repurposed for irrigation and has been used to water farmland for over 2,280 years. It predates the Zhengguo Canal by 33 years and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System by 23 years, making it rightfully known as China’s No. 1 Canal (referred to as the “No. 1 Canal of China” in the book *China's Greatest Water Conservancy Projects*, published by China Water Resources Press in August 1988).

The Long Canal is a highly reputed large-scale water conservancy and irrigation project. Its history has long been the subject of various theories and claims, but after careful research and verification, it is believed that the initial excavation of the Long Canal dates back to the middle of the Spring and Autumn period and the late Warring States period.

Bai Qi once used this canal for water attacks on the Chu imperial city. Historical evidence can be found in records stating: "After King Zhuang of Chu triumphed (in the battle between Chu and Jin, where Chu decisively defeated Jin), he went hunting at Heyong. Upon returning, he rewarded Sun Shu’ao, who then requested land between the Han Rivers, in sandy and stony areas." Another source also says, "Sun Shu’ao dammed the Ju River to create a great marsh in the Yunmeng region." These two historical accounts refer to the same person. When interpreted in context, it means that in 596 BC, after Sun Shu’ao assisted King Zhuang of Chu in defeating Jin in the Chu-Jin War, the king wanted to reward Sun Shu’ao upon his return. Sun Shu’ao then requested the sandy and stony land “between the Han Rivers” be granted to him. Later, Sun Shu’ao built a dam to block the Ju River and constructed a canal to divert its water into the Yunmeng Marsh, which then irrigated the fields between the Han Rivers—the so-called “land between the Han Rivers” referring to the farmlands near the Han River. The “Ju River” is identified today as the Man River; on the north bank of the Man River west of Wu Town in Nanzhang County, there is a village called “Linju,” which also supports this theory. As for the “Yunmeng,” in ancient texts, it was not exclusively the name for the vast Yunmeng Marsh spanning both southern and northern regions of the Yangtze River—any large lake, marsh, or dense woodland area could be referred to as Yunmeng. According to records, in the ancient times around present-day Yicheng City, there were lakes such as Liaozihu, Tiejiahu, and Suhu to the east, west, and south of the city, which match the description of the aforementioned Yunmeng Marsh. From this perspective, the land between the Han Rivers and the canal built by Sun Shu’ao were likely located in the western and southern parts of Yicheng City. Based on this location, it corresponds to where the Long Canal is situated today, indicating that it could be the precursor to the Long Canal. Regarding Sun Shu’ao himself, he was the Lingyin (prime minister) of the Chu king during the middle Spring and Autumn period. He was not only an outstanding politician and military strategist but also an excellent hydraulic engineer. Even before becoming Lingyin, he oversaw the construction of the famous Qisibei, a large-scale water conservancy project in what is now Anhui Province, demonstrating rich experience in water management. Therefore, it is reasonable to assert that the Long Canal was initially constructed under the direction of Sun Shu’ao in the middle of the Spring and Autumn period. This would place its origins over 300 years before both the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and the Zhengguo Canal, earning it the title of China’s No. 1 Canal.

On August 13, 2018, at the 69th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage held in Saskatoon, Canada, it was officially announced that the Baiqi Canal (also known as the Long Canal) in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, had been successfully inscribed as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure and was awarded the designation. The “No. 1 Canal of China,” Baiqi Canal, became the first World Heritage Irrigation Structure in Hubei Province.

Further Reading:

· World Heritage Irrigation Structures