The Dujiangyan Irrigation System

The Dujiangyan is an ancient hydraulic engineering system in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan, China. It sits on the Min River.

King Zhao allocated 100,000 taels of silver for the project. A lot of silver for moving water.

Workers cut a channel 20 meters wide through Mount Yulei. Mount Yulei did not appreciate the renovation.

The Yuzui levee divides the river into inner and outer streams.

Bamboo baskets filled with stones held the levee in place.

A statue was placed in the river during the East Han dynasty to monitor water levels.

On May 12, 2008, a massive earthquake struck west Sichuan. Built to last, mostly.

Today the system irrigates 668,700 hectares of farmland. King Zhao got his money's worth.