The city of Dujiangyan plans to celebrate the construction of the historical water conservancy project of its namesake on April 4, one day ahead of the Tomb Sweeping Day this year. The ritual has been observed since Song Dynasty (960-1279).

The celebration will be hosted at the scenic site built around the Dujiangyan irrigation system, which has been in use for irrigation and flood control for more than 2,000 years, using the natural landscape as a backdrop.

The traditional way of water discharge for spring irrigation will be practiced during the event which will be aired on various media outlets as well as LED displays across the county-level city under Chengdu’s jurisdiction.

Built around 256 BC under the leadership of Li Bing, the governor of Sichuan area as part of the Qin State during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), the Dujiangyan irrigation system has contributed greatly to the agricultural and economic development of the irrigated area in Chengdu Plain till today. It was listed as a World Cultural Heritage in 2000.

Poet He Kaisi is invited to read his composition at the ceremony on April 4, in memory of Li Bing, the government official and irrigation engineer who led the construction of the project on Minjiang River, one important tributary of Yangtze River, and brought prolonged prosperity to Chengdu area.

An international water environment forum will convene on April 3, a day before the ceremony with international irrigationists in participation. Researchers from Sichuan University and other higher education facilities at home and abroad will also be in attendance.