Jialu River

　　Henan Province is home to a river that has been flowing for over two thousand years — the Jialu River. A glance at a map of Henan shows that today’s Jialu River originates in Xinmi City, flows northeastward through Zhengzhou City, bends eastward at the northern suburbs of the city, passes through Zhongmu, enters Kaifeng, crosses Weishi County, and then flows into the Shaying River at Zhoukou City before eventually joining the Huai River. The river stretches 255.8 kilometers in total, and its tributaries include the well-known Jinshui River, Suoxu River, Xiong’er River, Qili River, and Dongfeng Canal. In ancient times, the Jialu River had abundant water flow and was navigable by boat. It also frequently experienced flooding, which is why ancient people called it the “Little Yellow River.” Though today’s Jialu River is shallow enough to see the bottom, it remains the longest river in Henan Province besides the Yellow River and has the largest drainage area.

　　The Jialu River can be considered a millennia-old river. Some historical research suggests that it was once the “Honggou” (Canal Ditch) from the Chu-Han Contention period. Historical records indicate that the Honggou was dug during the Warring States Period by the State of Wei and opened in the 10th year of King Hui of Wei (361 BC). Its original course diverted water from the Yellow River north of present-day Xingyang City into Puditian Pond, then flowed eastward through Kaifeng before turning south to join the Ying River. Its initial purpose was primarily for irrigating farmland. After more than 20 years of development, by the 31st year of King Hui’s reign (339 BC), it connected several rivers such as the Ji, Pu, Sui, Ying, Ru, and Si, becoming the main waterway on the Central Plains at the time. This led to the formation of a water transport network and extensive irrigation areas centered around it. As a result, the Honggou region held significant strategic importance and became a contested military stronghold. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, confronted Liu Bang, the King of Han, here. Later, an agreement was made between Chu and Han to “divide the empire along the Honggou, using it as the boundary — west of the ditch belonged to Han, and east belonged to Chu.” This historically renowned Honggou is what we now know as the Jialu River.

　　If the theory about the Honggou is true, then the Jialu River is nearly 2,370 years old.

　　Historical Highlights

　　During the Western Han Dynasty, the Honggou was also called the “Langtang Canal,” also referred to as the “Langdang Canal.” After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, it was known as the Cai River and remained a vital north-south water transport route until the late Tang Dynasty, when it gradually silted up. During the Later Zhou Dynasty of the Five Dynasties period, under Emperor Taizu’s Xiande reign, because the capital city of Kaifeng relied on the Cai River to transport supplies, but the channel was shallow and narrow with insufficient water flow, limiting transport capacity, the canal was dredged and the Bian River was redirected into the Cai. During the early Northern Song Dynasty under Emperor Taizu’s Jianlong reign, water from the Zhen and Wei Rivers was channeled southward via a newly dug canal into the Cai River within Kaifeng City. This section was historically known as the Min River. Later, water was also diverted from Xuchang into the Min, further expanding the canal system. From then on, the Cai River had ample water sources, greatly increased flow, and thriving water transport. A bustling scene emerged with “boats following one another and merchants gathering from all directions.”

　　The names mentioned above are all predecessors of the Jialu River, though the origins of their names remain unclear.

　　During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the integrated Min and Cai Rivers were collectively referred to as the Huimin River. To understand the origin of this name, we must mention Bao Zheng, a famous and upright official in Chinese history. Legend has it that in one year, heavy rainfall caused massive flooding, inundating streets and numerous civilian homes in Kaifeng, leaving large numbers of people homeless. Bao Zheng, who was serving as the prefect of Kaifeng at the time, conducted an on-site investigation and discovered the cause of the blocked water flow. It turned out that due to the prosperous commerce and beautiful scenery along the Cai River, many high-ranking officials and nobles regarded the area as a feng shui treasure spot. They illegally occupied the riverbanks, built private dams, and constructed pleasure gardens, pavilions, and towers on the waterways for their own enjoyment. These so-called “illegal structures” severely obstructed the river, hampering its drainage capacity. Bao Zheng immediately ordered the removal of all dams and waterside buildings and argued his case forcefully in front of Emperor Renzong. Eventually, the river was cleared and returned to the people. Because Bao Zheng fearlessly challenged the powerful and worked for the welfare of the people, the citizens, in gratitude for his benevolence, renamed the Cai River the “Huimin River” (People-Benefiting River).

　　During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Kaifeng area had a dense population and thriving commerce. To address the food supply and domestic water needs of the urban residents, the government successively dug, dredged, and maintained four canals: the Bian, Huimin, Jinshui, and Guangji, collectively known as the “Four Canals of Water Transport.” At the time, the Huimin River was the second-largest canal after the Bian River. It primarily transported grain and other materials supplied from the Jianghuai region, with its waterway extending southward into the Huai River and all the way to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Benefiting from the canal transport system, towns along the riverbanks gradually prospered, including the historically famous Zhuxian Town. Located near the canal and adjacent to the metropolitan city of Kaifeng, Zhuxian Town enjoyed excellent geographical advantages, leading to bustling boat traffic and vibrant human activity. However, during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, as the political center shifted northward and Emperor Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty carried out large-scale renovations and extensions of the Grand Canal, the Huimin River gradually lost its function in grain transport. Additionally, repeated southern breaches of the Yellow River later caused severe flooding, leading to the silting and eventual abandonment of the Huimin River.

　　Unforgettable Jialu

　　During the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty, the ancient, silted-up canal regained vitality thanks to new water sources — thanks to yet another historical figure, Jialu.

　　Jialu, courtesy name Youheng, was a native of Gaoping in Shanxi Province during the Yuan Dynasty. Even as a child, he was intelligent, studious, and ambitious. As he grew older, he became highly learned, talented, and strategic. He served as a Confucian scholar, magistrate of Lucheng County, and an official in the Ministry of Revenue. He also participated in the compilation of the History of Song. Later, he held positions such as imperial censor, assistant minister in the Ministry of Works, and water conservancy supervisor. During his tenure, he oversaw the management of the Yellow River’s floods multiple times. It is said that to identify the causes of the floods, Jialu traveled thousands of miles along the Yellow River, painstakingly surveying the terrain and water conditions. With years of fieldwork and experience in river management, he gradually developed his own “Yellow River Control Strategy.”

　　In the fourth year of the Zhizheng era (1344), the Yellow River breached its banks at Baima Dyke in Cao County, Shandong, changing its course and flooding over ten counties and prefectures across Henan, Shandong, Anhui, and Jiangsu. Over the next few years, the river breached its banks repeatedly, forcing local residents to flee their homes and live in misery. In April of the 11th year of Zhizheng (1351), 55-year-old Jialu was appointed in a time of crisis as Minister of Works and Chief Commissioner for Flood Control. He mobilized 150,000 civilian workers and 20,000 soldiers from Henan and Shandong and launched a massive river control project. He adopted a dual strategy of dredging and blocking — clearing the old course and tributaries of the Yellow River, digging new channels, while sealing off breaches, reinforcing dikes, and employing the ship-sinking method for the first time. Twenty-seven large boats were lashed together, filled with stones, and fixed at a breach, then punctured to sink them, thereby stemming the flood and forcing the water back into the old course. By November, all civil engineering work was completed, marking the successful taming of the floods. This achievement, known as “Jialu’s River Control” in China’s flood management history, secured Jialu a place in the annals of history.

　　Legacy for Future Generations

　　As mentioned earlier, during the process of sealing the breach and digging new channels, Jialu channeled water from Mishi County, through Zhengzhou and Zhongmu, bending southward to Kaifeng, then into the ancient canal, finally reaching the Huai River at Zhoukou. This is the exact path of today’s Jialu River. Jialu’s efforts not only quelled the floods but also revitalized the water transport system around Kaifeng. Commerce quickly flourished again, and Zhuxian Town, previously mentioned, rapidly thrived, becoming the largest water transport hub in North China at the time and later one of the nation’s four major commercial towns. The people of Henan expressed their gratitude to Jialu for his contributions. To forever commemorate this water conservancy expert and master of Yellow River control, the newly dredged canal was renamed the “Jialu River.”

　　During the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty, the Yellow River breached again, silting up the Jialu River. While managing the Yellow River, the Ming government also dredged the Jialu River and carried out large-scale maintenance along its banks. Thus, the Jialu River entered its second golden age of water transport since the Northern Song Dynasty, reaching its peak prosperity. It is said that at the time, over 200 boats berthed daily at the Zhuxian Town dock on the Jialu River. Archaeologists have unearthed quite heavy ship anchors there, proving that large cargo vessels once sailed the river. Traveling back through time, one can almost envision the bustling boats on the river, laborers hunched over in intense work along the docks, goods and grain piled high on the riverbanks, and the lively sounds of vendors and boatmen’s chants echoing through the vibrant streets...

　　This flourishing state of the Jialu River lasted until the mid-Qing Dynasty. In the late 19th century, another major flood of the Yellow River caused the Jialu River to silt up once again. Since then, its water flow gradually diminished until navigation became impossible, and all its former glory faded into history.

　　Quiet and unassuming, this has been the state of the Jialu River through modern times up to today. Although it can no longer handle heavy transport, it still serves as the secondary source of domestic and industrial water for Zhengzhou residents, continuing to benefit the Central Plains.

　　The course of the Jialu River in Xingyang flows from south to north, with several medium-sized reservoirs such as Dingdian, Chulou, Heiwang, and Tanggang distributed along the river. In the northeastern part of Xingyang, it turns northeastward, encircling the northern part of Zhengzhou City, and then heads southeastward through Zhongmu County and Kaifeng City. Therefore, although it may appear on the map that Zhengzhou is very close to the Yellow River, a significant portion of its jurisdiction does not belong to the Yellow River basin but rather to the Huai River basin. However, due to the fact that the northern part of Xingyang was historically a swamp formed by Yellow River overflows (known as Xingze), which is located very close to the current Jialu River channel, the regional affiliation is now somewhat ambiguous. Today, the Xingyang section of the Jialu River serves multiple purposes such as aquaculture, power generation, irrigation, and tourism, playing a non-negligible role in boosting the local economy.

　　

　　Source: Office of the People's Government of Xihua County