Ancient water ritual highlights need for environmental protection

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By CGTN’s Meng Qingsheng and Zhang Kai

One of the most unusual Qingming Festival celebrations occurs in southwest China's Dujiangyan city, where locals enjoy the Water Releasing Ceremony.

‍The Sichuan Province region is best-known for its ancient irrigation system that dates back thousands of years.

The event involves traditional cultural elements and has received international recognition for its emphasis on water protection. It’s held to commemorate the completion of Dujiangyan's irrigation system, and the ancient Chinese engineers who built it.

Performances show that people in ancient times used wooden tripod dams to plug the river and repair the waterway. / CGTN Photo

Zhang Guanjie, Deputy Director of Dujiangyan Scenic Area Management Bureau, says in ancient times, people used wooden tripod dams to plug the river to repair the waterway. But when the Qingming Festival came, they would yank the tripods apart and release the water to irrigate regions downstream.

Water collected from nine countries converge into the Min River at Dujiangyan, Sichuan. / CGTN Photo

At this year's event, water collected from nine different countries converged into the river, in a symbolic attempt to draw attention to the global need to protect water resources.

Angelina Makeich from Ukraine said that human beings must think about protecting the planet and water resources, while Dino Goh from Malaysia expressed that the event constantly remind people to respect water, and that water is life.

Annual flooding plagued local people before this project was constructed around 250 BC. Its chief builder Li Bing, a local governor, diverted the river into a new channel, and set up intricate dams to facilitate the water flow.

In 2000, the ancient Dujiangyan Irrigation System was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. / CGTN Photo

The irrigation system here has blessed locals for more than 2,000 years. As part of a traditional ritual during the Qingming festival, people release water on this day, marking the beginning to a busy spring plowing season.

Now, it has evolved into an opportunity for many to embrace their traditional culture.

The Water Releasing Ceremony has evolved into an opportunity to embrace traditional farming culture. / CGTN Photo

Irrigation made Sichuan the most productive agricultural region in ancient China. While the ceremony reminds people of the local farming culture, it's also a ritual of thanksgiving, to the life-giving properties of water.

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