Historic Lingnan waterway receives national recognition

On Nov 22, the Lingqu water conservancy scenic area was the only location in Guangxi to be acknowledged as a typical case for the high-quality development of national water conservancy in 2023.

The Lingqu Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: HiGUILIN]

Known as one of the oldest artificial canals in the world, the Lingqu Canal is regarded as one of the three ancient water conservancy projects in China, along with the Zhengguo Canal in Shanxi province and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Sichuan province. Located in Xing'an county, Guilin city, the Lingqu Canal has a total length of 37 kilometers.

The completion of the Lingqu Canal has connected the Xiangjiang River and the Lijiang River via the Yangtze River and the Pearl River, becoming a water transportation hub connecting the central plains with the Lingnan region.

The Lingqu Canal became a famous tourist destination in China after it was established as a scenic area in 1942. It was rated as a national AAAA-level tourist scenic area in 2006, and has been included in the preliminary list of World Heritage Sites several times. In 2018, it was awarded the title of world irrigation heritage site.

Tourists enjoy a boat ride in Lingqu Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: HiGUILIN]