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The canal was dug in 219BC at the order of Qin Shihuang (the First Emperor of China), to facilitate the transportation of grain for the military after he sent his troops south to conquer the territory south of the Meiling Mountain. It connected the Xiangjiang River and the Lijiang River. Later, every dynasty revamped the canal, making it the major water course that linked the Lingnan Region (current Guangdong Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region) and the central part of China.

Yinzhang Shi'er Qu

Yinzhang Shi'er Qu, twelve canals that divert water from the Zhanghe River, is located in today'sAnyangCityinCentral China'sHenanProvince. Qu means canal. It was a large irrigation project built in the Warring States Period (403-221BC).

The project consisted of 12 canals that diverted water from the ZhangheRiver, playing a great role in irrigating the surrounding fields. According to historical records, about 100,000 mu (1 mu = 1/15 hectare) of farmland benefited from the project shortly after its completion and surrounding areas became richer than other regions in ancientChina.

In the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Cao Cao had the canal revamped and changed its name to Tianjing Yan (Yan means weir). Later, the project undertook further reconstruction and could irrigate more fields.

In 1959, a reservoir was built on the ZhangheRiver, replacing the 2,300-year-old canal.

Zheng Bai Qu

Zheng Bai Qu, a large irrigation project in the ancient Guanzhong Region (today'sShaanxinProvince), was the combined name of Zhengguo Qu and Bai Qu. (Qu means canal.)

In 246BC during the Warring States Period (475-221BC), Zheng Guo, a hydraulic engineer from theHanState, began the construction of Zhengguo Qu for theQinState and finished the project in more than 10 years. The canal was 150 kilometers long, linking the JingshuiRiverand the Luoshui River. It could irrigate 40,000 hectares of farmlands.

Thanks to the function of the canal, the production of the surrounding farmlands surged, providing enough funding for theQinState which defeated the other six warring states and for the first time in China's history set up a unified county -- the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC).

In 95AD, the Eastern Han Dynasty built Bai Qu, linking the JingshuiRiverand WeishuiRiver. The new canal was 100 kilometers long and could irrigate 4,500 hectares of farmland.

Since then, the two canals were called by a joint name: Zheng Bai Qu. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Zheng Bai Qu had three branches: Tai Bai Qu, Zhong Bai Qu and Nan Bai Qu, with an irrigation area of over 10,000 hectares. In the later dynasties, Zheng Bai Qu was revamped several times.