Organize the Record of the Downstream Regulation of Donghao Stream

Record of the Downstream Regulation of Donghao Stream

The Record of the Downstream Regulation of Donghao Stream is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangzhou Municipality.

The Record of the Downstream Regulation of Donghao Stream is located at Yuexiu Bridge on Yuexiu North Road, Yuexiu District.

In March 1936, the downstream regulation project of Donghao Stream was largely completed. To document this water management effort, the government erected a stone stele on the west side of Yuexiu Bridge. The stele bears the inscription titled “Record of the Downstream Regulation of Donghao Stream,” written by Wen Shusheng. The text of the inscription is as follows:

The establishment of Guangzhou City dates back to King Nan of Zhou, when the Southern Wu City was built by the Yue people under the direction of Gong Shiyu. For over two thousand years, siltation in the canals and streams has been a common occurrence. Although dredging efforts were carried out through the dynasties, they were often makeshift and short-sighted, focusing only on immediate needs without any lasting solutions. As a result, flooding occurred repeatedly, especially severe along the Donghao Stream. On the evening of July 29, in the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), Guangzhou experienced a night-long downpour. A sudden mountain flood from the upper reaches of Donghao Stream hit the Xiaobei area the hardest, collapsing buildings and injuring people, marking a catastrophe unseen in a century. The following autumn, another major flood struck, causing ongoing disasters. Remedial action could no longer be delayed, and it became the duty of the authorities to improve conditions and eliminate hazards.

In the winter of the 22nd year of the Republic of China (1933), I, Shusheng, had the honor of leading the Works Department. With the goal of ensuring residents’ safety and mitigating disasters, I dedicated myself to the repair and improvement of the canal system. Following the directives of Mayor Liu Jiwén, we raised funds, drafted plans, and after more than ten months of work, finally completed the preparations. In the autumn of the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935), the construction commenced. Stretching from Zhuhengsha to Shuangyan Bridge, the Donghao Stream section measured ten thousand feet in length. We widened the narrow sections, dredged the silted areas, and implemented stepped cascades to reduce the force of the rapid currents. Additionally, pathways were constructed along both sides of the stream, marking its boundary and facilitating passage. A movable sluice gate was also installed at the Tongguan Channel inlet to prevent backflow. There were five bridges along the stream—Zhuhengsha Bridge, Xiaodongmen Bridge, Donghua Road Bridge, Dadongmen Bridge, and Yuexiu Bridge—all of which had narrow arches that hindered drainage. Therefore, they were all demolished and rebuilt, including this one. These were the works carried out on the downstream section.

As for further expansion, digging channels to divert the river source, constructing dams to form retention lakes, and utilizing mountain floods for irrigation would perfect the upstream projects even more. However, these should not be considered less urgent. Now that the bridge is completed, I record the key points and have them engraved on this durable stele.

November, the 24th Year of the Republic of China (1935), Written and inscribed by Wen Shusheng, Director of the Works Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality

Today, the stone stele by Wen remains on the west side of Yuexiu Bridge, although the inscriptions “Mayor Liu Jiwén” and “Wen Shusheng, Director of the Works Bureau” were chiseled off during the Cultural Revolution. In addition, there is another stele on the east side of the bridge, erected in December 1935 (the 24th year of the Republic of China), bearing the three characters “Yuexiu Bridge” in bold, forceful calligraphy. However, the signature of the author has also been gouged out.

In July 2002, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Guangzhou Municipality.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Guangzhou Municipality