Lingqu, Ancient waterway in Xing'an County, China
Lingqu is an ancient canal system in Xing'an County that links the Xiang River with the Li River while crossing mountainous terrain. The network consists of multiple channels, locks, and embankments that together create a complex water transport connection.
The canal system was built during the Qin Dynasty around 214 BC and served military purposes along with transporting goods between northern and southern parts of the empire. This early engineering achievement helped integrate the vast territory more effectively.
The waterway linked distant regions and shows how ancient people used engineered channels to move goods and maintain connections across the landscape. You can still observe water flowing through the old passages and see how the surrounding terrain was shaped to support this system.
Visitors reach the site by bus from Guilin City to Xing'an County, where guided tours explain the construction methods and how the system worked. The grounds can be explored on foot, and there are viewpoints where you can see the entire structure.
The system still functions after more than 2000 years, transporting water along its original paths today. This reveals how durable the ancient construction techniques were, developed without modern tools or materials.
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