An irrigation project doesn't sound exciting but this excursion from Chengdu is well worth the effort; I've been twice.

The project is more than two thousand years old but still working as designed. An artificial island divides the river flow in two with clever features to ensure that the proportions remain right whatever the water level.

A man-made channel then takes some of the flow away to irrigate a huge area that was previously unable to support agriculture.

The interest stems from the worship that surrounds the site and its main architect - Li Bing. There are plenty of temples and other more recent displays to ensure you understand just how really clever things are. The island wasn't just put anywhere; it is below a bend so that more of the silt goes to the fields and less to Chengdu's water supply.

Perhaps more importantly, Dujiangyan is not yet on the main tourist trail and so a visit here shows you something of the real China. Don't expect to see many other foreigners but do expect to have an interesting day out.

hubpages.com/hub/Dujiangyan-Daoism-In-Practice
Google map: tinyurl.com/3x5t2rc

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