[2025 Xing'an County Attraction] Travel Guide for Ling Canal (Updated Jan)

Ling Canal, also known as Qin Zao Canal and Ling Canal, is a great project created by the ancient Chinese working people. It is located in Xing'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Ling Canal was excavated in 214 BC, more than 2,000 years ago. As one of the oldest canals in the world, it is as famous as the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and is known as the "Pearl of Ancient Water Conservancy Buildings in the World." It consists of a plowshare, large and small balances, south and north canals, a water discharge balance, and a steep gate. It connects the Xiang River and the Li River, opening up the north-south waterway and providing an important guarantee for the Qin Dynasty to unify Lingnan. • Transportation: Navigate and drive to the scenic area, which is located on Shuangling Road, Xing'an County, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 📸 Photo spots: • Plowshare: The essence of the Ling Canal project. No matter how much water flows upstream, the water level after diversion is always stable and balanced. It is a great place to take photos. • Water Street: A mix of Qin style and Jiangnan water town architecture, Li Family Ancient Bridge, Three Generals' Tomb, Sculpture Gallery, etc., are all great places to take photos. 💡 Tips: • It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. • Please respect local culture and customs and protect the environment. Xing'an Ling Canal, a place where you can feel the greatness of ancient water conservancy projects in the integration of nature and history, is waiting for you to explore and enjoy. 🌅🌿

| A world wonder that has stood the test of time. 💥 Lingqu Canal, also known as the Xianggui Canal or Xing'an Canal, is located in Xing'an County, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the three oldest water conservancy projects in China, along with Dujiangyan in Sichuan and Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi. It is known as the "pearl of ancient water conservancy projects." · 💯 Lingqu Canal was built in 219 BC during the Qin Dynasty and opened to navigation in 214 BC. It is 37.4 km long and played a significant role in the Qin Dynasty's unification of Lingnan. It connects the Xiang River of the Yangtze River system with the Li River of the Pearl River system. The southern canal starts at the Dividing Pond at an altitude of 215 m and ends at the Darong River at an altitude of 183 m, with a drop of 32 m. The main projects of Lingqu Canal include the Huazui, Dividing Dam (i.e. Large and Small Balance), Canal (South Canal and North Canal), Qin Dike, Drainage Dam (i.e. Drainage Balance), Sluice Gate (i.e. Lock), Weir Dam, etc. · 💧 After maintenance and repair over the years, Lingqu Canal is still navigable and continues to serve as a source of irrigation, flood drainage, ecological water replenishment, and cultural tourism. In 1988, Lingqu Canal was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council. In 2018, it was included in the World Heritage Irrigation Structures. · ⛰️ The name Lingqu Canal comes from the Ling River, the upper reaches of the Li River. The strata in the area include the Devonian, Carboniferous, and Quaternary systems. The geological structure is located in the southeastern margin of the western section of the Jiangnan Ancient Land and the northern part of the Xianggui Fold Belt. · 💦 The Lingqu Canal Scenic Area covers almost all of the Lingqu Canal project. The main attractions include Meiling Pavilion, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Ancient Tree Swallowing Stele, Sages Temple, Feilai Stone, Masi Bridge, Wanli Bridge, Jielong Bridge, Niangniang Bridge, etc. · If you are interested in the history, culture, or engineering structure of Lingqu Canal, you can visit the scenic area in Xing'an County to experience the charm of this ancient water conservancy project. 🎭 · 🎫 Ticket: CNY 45 per person · 🈺 Opening hours: 8:30 am–5 pm · 📍 Address: Lingqu Canal, Shuangling Road, Xing'an County, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Witnessing a great engineering feat, the Xing'an Lingqu Canal. It was the excavation of the Lingqu Canal that connected the Xiang River and the Li River, opening up the waterway between the north and the south, which provided an important guarantee for the Qin Dynasty to unify the Lingnan region. A large amount of grain and supplies were transported to Lingnan via the waterway, ensuring a sufficient supply of materials. In 214 BC, the year the Lingqu Canal was completed and navigable, Qin troops conquered Lingnan and subsequently established the three counties of Guilin, Xiangjun, and Nanhai, officially incorporating Lingnan into the territory of the Qin Dynasty. ​Flying overhead with a drone, one can clearly see that the main project of the Lingqu Canal consists of parts such as the Plowshare, the Big Leveling, the Small Leveling, the South Canal, the North Canal, the Spillway Leveling, the Culvert, the Steep Gate, the Weir Dam, the Qin Dyke, and bridges. Although they were built at different times, they are interconnected and form an indispensable part of the Lingqu Canal. ​Located 3 kilometers southeast of Xing'an County town, the diversion pond on the upper reaches of the Haiyang River dam (also known as Meitan) is called 'Plowshare' because of its sharp front and blunt rear, resembling a plowshare. It is a stone dam with a water-diverting function that connects with the Big and Small Leveling. The dam is built upstream from the junction of the Big and Small Leveling, and the direction of the sharp angle is opposite to the main flow direction of the Haiyang River, splitting the river water into two, one flowing into the Li River through the South Canal, and the other returning to the Xiang River through the North Canal.