Imagine stepping into an engineering marvel that’s been taming rivers for over 2,200 years! 🌊 Baopingkou, known as the 'treasured bottle mouth,' sits snugly between Yulei Mountain 🏔️ and Lidui in the heart of Dujiangyan’s irrigation network.
Built by the legendary engineer Li Bing around 256 BC, this 40-meter-long and 17-meter-wide passage was carved using ancient fire and water techniques—no heavy machinery here! Each season, its width shifts between 19 and 23 meters to fine-tune the flow of the Minjiang River, ensuring fields on the Chengdu Plain thrive.
What makes it extra cool? Its unique bottle-like shape funnels water smoothly, while the nearby Feisha Weir diverts extra flow and spins out 75 % of sediment like a natural centrifuge. The result? Floods and droughts are kept at bay, and the region’s rice paddies stay lush all year 🌾.
Walking through Baopingkou isn’t just a history lesson—it’s a dive into the ingenious mind of Li Bing and a reminder that smart design can last millennia. Ready to add this ancient wonder to your bucket list? 😎
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
