Half-day excursion to the impressive Dujiangyan irrigation system

On this tour, you will experience yet another Chinese attraction which is a distinguished UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Dujiangyan irrigation system on the Minjiang River is the world’s only irrigation system without a dam, and it is incredibly scenically situated among mountains and temples. Dujiangyan was built in 256 BC to prevent flooding of the Chengdu plain. Today, more than 2,000 years later, the irrigation system still works.

More than 2,000 years ago, Chengdu was threatened by frequent flooding caused by an increasing volume of meltwater from the surrounding mountains, causing the water level in the Minjiang River to rise. This prompted the local governor and engineer Li Bing and his son to construct an irrigation system to prevent flooding in Chengdu while supplying the city with water. To implement the project, it was necessary to divert the river flow through the mountain. This was before the days of explosives, so the rock had to be heated and cooled repeatedly, causing it to crack and allowing it to be broken up.

Dujiangyan would eventually consist of three constructions: The Yuzui levee, the Baoping Kou channel and the Feisha Yan weir. Yuzui divides Minjiang in two, so there is an outer river and an inner river. Baoping Kou carries water from Minjiang to the inner river, which is led via an aqueduct to Chengdu. Feisha Yan, on the other hand, redirects sand and rocks from the inner river to the outer river and further down the Minjiang River.

In low-water periods, 60% of the water is channelled in the inner river to Chengdu, while 40% is channelled into the outer river which continues down along Minjiang. The situation is reversed in periods of high water. In other words, Dujiangyan is world-class engineering!

You will be picked up from the hotel by a driver and guide. The drive to Dujiangyan takes around an hour and 15 minutes. From the entrance, you walk to a vantage point overlooking the entire Dujiangyan irrigation system and the turquoise waters of the Minjiang River. From here, you head down through Erwang Temple, which was built in honour of Li Bing and his son. You continue down to the river bank and cross the river via the Anlan suspension bridge, which crosses over to the Yuzui levee, where the river is divided into two. From here, you walk on to the Baoping Kou channel and Feisha Yan weir to give you an understanding of the entire system. The tour rounds of with a stroll in the beautifully landscaped garden with brightly coloured flowers, neatly cut bushes, small pavilions and carp-filled ponds.

You will be driven back to Chengdu late afternoon.

This excursion is open to TourCompass’ own guests only.

We recommend that you book the excursion from home, either when booking the tour or at least 3 weeks before departure. The excursion can also be booked by the guide at the destination, subject to availability.