Xishan Stone Bridge Group Yingying Aqueduct
📍 Location: Qilin County, Yunnan Province, China, Xishan Stone Bridge Village Yingying Aqueduct
📏 Introduction: The Yingying Aqueduct is a large-scale water conservancy and irrigation project constructed during the 1960s "Agricultural Learning from Dazhai" movement. Known as the "Red Flag Canal of Yunnan East," it represents a collective intelligence achievement in the southwest region.
🌾 Historical Background
In 1965, to address the irrigation challenges for the farmlands in Xishan Stone Bridge Village and its surrounding areas, local villagers, through self-reliance and hard work, built the Yingying Aqueduct over a span of three years, with a total length of approximately 3.8 kilometers. This project was completed without modern machinery, embodying the spirit of the era's "Man Conquers Nature" and the collective style of hard struggle.
🏗️ Architectural Features
- Constructed with stone arch structures, the main span reaches 12 meters, with a maximum height of over 18 meters, exuding grandeur.
- The entire length is equipped with 37 bridge piers, made of grey stone and lime mortar, which have remained stable through more than half a century of weathering.
- The aqueduct spans across valleys, resembling a long rainbow lying on the water, combining functionality with aesthetic value.
🏛️ Cultural Value
- Now recognized as a Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit in Yunnan Province (listed in the provincial protection list in 2019), it is an important physical legacy for studying the rural collective construction movement in the early days of the New China.
- It is hailed as a "monument to people's water control," carrying the social memory and collective spirit of a specific historical period.
- The body of the aqueduct still features slogans and slogans inscribed by the constructors of the time, such as "Vow to rearrange the mountains and rivers" and "One hammer, one chisel for revolution."
📌 Tourism Information
- Opening Hours: Open year-round (recommended 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
- Admission Fee: Free
- Transportation: Take a high-speed rail to the Qujing Station, then transfer to public transportation or rent a car to travel to the Xishan Stone Bridge Village in Lüliang County (approximately 40 minutes by car)
- Best Visiting Time: Spring and autumn, with pleasant weather, suitable for walking and photography
- Tips: Some sections require climbing stone steps, so it is recommended to wear non-slip shoes; please do not climb into dangerous areas.
✨ Recommended Experience: Stroll along the aqueduct path, overlooking the valley and farmland, and appreciate the beauty of the blend between the "artificial river" and the natural mountains and waters.