Background

Ling Canal, in Xing'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is also called Xianggui Canal and Xing'an Canal, this is one of the famous ancient water conservancy projects in China. The canal, 34 kilometres long, was built under the orders of Emperor Qinshihuang who was to unite Guangdong and Guangxi areas. The canal, which connects Xiangjiang and Lijiang rivers and two water systems of Yangtze River and the Pearl River, is a waterway crossing the Five-Ridge Mountains. It is not only an ancient canal, but also an important farmland irrigation tributary. The most famous facility of Ling canal is the huazui water diversion project on Xiangjiang River, which diverts the water of Xiangjiang River into Lijiang and Xiangjiang rivers in the proportion of 3:7. The canal's steep gate, which was the original form of the present ship lock, is one of the world's earliest shipping facility on the canal.

It has been over 2,200 years since the canal was built. Ling Canal has been an important waterway for China's north-south communication. It undertook the heavy task of transporting military supplies and grain for civilian between central China to southern frontiers. The canal has played an important role in uniting the nationalities of China and promoting economic and cultural exchanges. Nowadays, the canal, hit by numerous floods, is still irrigating the farmland in the area.

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