Yingshan Xingfu Reservoir

Yingshan Xingfu Reservoir

Yingshan Xingfu Reservoir

Starting in the winter of 1957, Yingshan vigorously developed water conservancy projects, organizing tens of thousands of farmers to begin constructing Xingfu Reservoir. From the winter of 1958 to the spring of 1959, the Qianli Canal was dug, connecting ten medium and small reservoirs as well as mountain ponds and other water storage facilities, forming a Qianli Canal irrigation area that featured a long vine with melons strung along it and gravity-fed irrigation. This system irrigated 146,000 mu of farmland across 20 communes. The Qianli Canal irrigation area gained attention from the State Council for its rapid construction speed, good supporting infrastructure, and high efficiency. In September 1959, Xingfu Reservoir was invited to send representatives to Beijing to attend the 10th National Day celebration. In 1963, the management experience of Xingfu Reservoir was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture as one of seven national model cases, and Vice Premier Tan Zhenlin remarked, “These seven model experiences should be promoted nationwide.” In August 1965, at the National Water Conservancy Work Conference held in Yingtan, Jiangxi, Xingfu Reservoir was recognized as an advanced management unit. In April 1973, People’s Daily published a report on Xingfu Reservoir titled “A Thousand-Mile Canal Managed by Ten Thousand People.” In 1977, the expansion of Xingfu Reservoir began, increasing its capacity to 37.61 million cubic meters. By 1978, the county’s effective irrigated area reached 260,000 mu, including 130,000 mu of high-yield and stable-yield farmland that was protected against drought and flooding.

Xingfu Reservoir is the second largest reservoir in northern Sichuan. Built in 1956, it is the only medium-sized key water conservancy project in Yingshan County, with a capacity of 37.61 million cubic meters. It not only irrigates 120,000 mu of farmland across 16 towns, 141 administrative villages, and 1,211 production teams, but also supplies production and domestic water to over 100,000 residents in the county town and towns such as Fengchan.

The emerald waters and lush mountains of Xingfu Reservoir feature a winding reservoir area with the Qianli Canal meandering through it. Rich in historical sites, it is a paradise for tourism, leisure, and wellness. The reservoir is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with majestic peaks and competing beauty, the highest peak reaching 780 meters above sea level. The lake water is clear, azure, and serene. With both mountains and water complementing each other, the landscape captivates and enchants visitors at first sight.

Boating on the lake, you can gaze out at the reflections of verdant mountains on the water, where the shimmering light of the lake and the hues of the hills blend seamlessly. The water and sky merge into one, and the mountains come alive with the water while the water gains tranquility from the mountains, creating a breathtaking scene described as “the lake by the Qianli Canal, veiled in mist and moonlight, bluer than sapphire.” Looking into the distance, rolling green peaks stretch out, with pine and cypress trees swaying in the wind. Observing closely, the varying width and depth of the water shift from green to jade-like, then to deep serenity. While people praise Mount Qingcheng as “the most serene place under heaven,” Xingfu Reservoir offers a more subtle, deeper, layered, and poetic form of tranquility.

Leaving the boat and climbing the mountain, you’ll be greeted by another spectacular view of the reservoir: in the early morning, the tranquil waters are shrouded in rising white mist, evoking a sense of vitality; at noon, the deep, quiet waters sparkle under the sun, inspiring a feeling of grandeur; in the evening, the fading light casts a hazy veil, bringing a sense of vastness. Especially at sunrise, when the dawn glow mingles with the thin mist, the crowing of roosters harmonizes with birdsong, carp and otters swim in the lake, and cranes and egrets glide joyfully over the water, forming a dynamic and harmonious three-dimensional painting full of serene charm. It feels like entering a celestial reservoir, intoxicated by a fairyland, making one linger and forget to leave, too enchanted to return.