Red Flag Canal

The Red Flag Canal extends 71 kilometers through the Taihang Mountains, incorporating 42 tunnels and multiple branches for water distribution to agricultural lands.

Local workers completed the construction between 1960 and 1965, digging the entire system by hand during the period of the Great Leap Forward.

Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni documented the canal and its surrounding region in his 1972 film about China during the Cultural Revolution.

The irrigation network delivers water from the Zhang River to the fields of Linzhou district, supporting agricultural production across 1,500 kilometers of channels.

Workers carved the canal passages directly into mountain cliffs using basic tools, creating an extensive water management system without modern machinery.

Location: Linzhou

Location: Henan

GPS coordinates: 36.35241,113.75953

Latest update: May 18, 2025 15:04