Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Dujiangyan is a town 60km northwest of Chengdu, and Dujiangyan Irrigation System is situated on the upper reaches of the Minjiang River, a tributary of Yangzi River which flows through Dujiangyan City. This great project is a miracle of ancient Chinese ingenuity, which was begun in 256 B.C. and expanded more than three times. Before the project of Dujiangyan, this area was plagued by frequent floods and droughts caused by the Minjiang River. To avoid disasters, Dujiangyan was built.
The actual structure of the project includes a dyke that divides the Min River into inner and outer flows. The inner flow is redirected to irrigate local farmland while the outside stream is for flood relief. This project brings the vast Chengdu Plain under irrigation, and protects it against floods. From then on, this great irrigation works has been contributing vastly to the development of Sichuan's economy and culture.
This scientific, perfect irrigation and drainage system attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.