Turpan design slogan

At the foot of the beautiful Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, there are countless oases on the vast Gobi Desert. Especially in Turpan and Hami, it has formed an oasis with fragrant fruits and beautiful scenery. The water source that nourishes this desert oasis is the mountain snowmelt continuously transported by the Karez project buried under the vast desert.

Karez project is the largest underground irrigation system project in the world. Because of its ingenious design and large scale, it is known as the underground "Great Wall of Wan Li" in China. This is a great innovation in the practice of using scarce water resources by working people in arid areas. It is of great value and significance in the study of water conservancy history, humanities history and science and technology history in China. At the same time, Karez is of great research value to the research on the development history of agriculture and water conservancy projects in Xinjiang, and also has certain influence in the world. A scientific and accurate understanding of the development and characteristics of Karez is of great theoretical and practical significance for better utilization and protection of Karez, a water cultural heritage in Turpan.

In order to develop agricultural production and pursue a better material life in the desert, the working people of all ethnic groups in Turpan area in ancient China managed to attract snow water seeping into the ground in the northern Tianshan Mountains to moisten these oases on the Gobi Desert, and at the same time avoided high-temperature evaporation along the way, and skillfully invented this karez, which integrates open channels, culverts, shafts and waterlogging dams. Moreover, according to research, the Karez project in Xinjiang originated in the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, and the total length of various culverts once reached 5,000 kilometers. Therefore, Karez, Wan Li Great Wall and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal are called "Three Ancient Projects in China".

Karez is a unique and ancient water conservancy project widely existing in semi-arid and arid areas. In the world, Karez has been built in more than 40 countries and regions, while Karez in China is mainly distributed in Turpan and Hami, Xinjiang. In addition, it is distributed in Rem, Qitai and Fukang in northern Xinjiang and Pishan, Yutian and Kuqa in southern Xinjiang, with about 1800 roads. But now the karez in northern and southern Xinjiang has dried up and abandoned. Karez, which is still in operation, is mainly distributed in Turpan and Hami areas.

The climate in Turpan basin is very bad, with drought and little rain. The average annual precipitation is only 1.6 mm, while the evaporation is as high as 3000 mm ... Therefore, only the rainfall and meltwater from the snow-capped mountains cannot form surface runoff at all. However, after the melting and infiltration of Tianshan snow into Gobi desert, rich groundwater resources have been formed.

Therefore, local people adjust measures to local conditions, with the help of natural topography and slope conditions, use the potential energy of water, and discharge the subsurface flow of groundwater through artificially built underground culverts and transport it to the oasis in Turpan Basin. This design effectively avoids the loss of water resources caused by high temperature evaporation, and plays a decisive role in the formation and development of oasis agriculture in Turpan and Hami areas and the gestation of human civilization.

Karez is mainly composed of culvert, open channel, shaft and flood prevention dam. Culvert is the main part of the whole Karez project, which can be divided into water collection section and water delivery section according to a certain longitudinal slope. Among them, the front part is the water collection section, which is located below the groundwater level and mainly plays the role of intercepting groundwater; The rear part of the water conveyance section is connected with the surface open channel above the local groundwater level. Open channel is a diversion channel on the ground, which introduces water into waterlogged dams or directly irrigates fields. Shaft is mainly used for positioning, entry, excavation, ventilation and subsequent inspection and maintenance when excavating culvert. Waterlogging dam is a water storage project of Karez well, which is mainly used to store surplus well water to improve irrigation water capacity, and to adjust the water quantity in each period for farmland irrigation. Improve water supply efficiency and water resources utilization rate.

With the continuous improvement of the local economic development level, the local water demand increases year by year, which eventually leads to a serious decline in the groundwater level, and many karez wells cannot operate normally and tend to dry up. 1957, the number of karez in Turpan reached its peak, with 1237 karez. 1966 The annual water transport capacity of Karez Project reached the maximum value of 699.9 million cubic meters. In 2003, there were still 406 karez wells working normally in the local area, with an annual water delivery of 232 million cubic meters, still accounting for 30% of the total water delivery in the whole region, and it is still one of the main water sources for local people's daily production and life. By 20 17, only 2 14 karez wells in the local area can operate normally, and the annual water delivery capacity has also dropped to1.1.500 million cubic meters. The present situation of Karez is not optimistic.

There is no unified answer to the origin of the karez project in Turpan, and there are mainly three origins.

First, Guan Zhongjing's interest theory; Some historians believe that the Karez project in Turpan was inspired by the Guanzhong well canal in Han Dynasty, and with the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road, it was introduced to the western regions and other high-temperature and arid areas. Wang Guowei, a famous scholar in the Qing Dynasty, pointed out directly in his "Examination of Wells and Channels in the Western Regions" that the design concept of Karez Project in Xinjiang appeared as early as two thousand years ago in the Han Dynasty, and its inspiration came from wells and canals in the Central Plains.

According to the records in Hequshu Historical Records, the technology of digging underground pits was created in Guanzhong, Shaanxi Province in Han Dynasty, which was called "well and canal method". In this way, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty led Luoshui to Shangluo. After the Han Dynasty passed through the western regions, there was a shortage of water outside the Great Wall, and the sand was loose and easy to collapse, so the "well drainage method" was taught to the locals. Through the hard work of people of all ethnic groups, it has gradually improved and developed into a karez suitable for Xinjiang conditions.

The second is the origin theory of Central Asia; However, some historians hold different views that the Karez project may have been born in arid areas such as Central Asia, and gradually spread eastward to Turpan with the prosperity along the Silk Road.

Third, the theory of local origin; A common saying is that the Karez project itself was born in Turpan area. This ingenious design is based on the climatic conditions of high temperature, little rain and large evaporation in ancient Turpan area and the topographic characteristics of the basin. After long-term production practice, ingenious design, continuous enrichment and improvement, a huge water conservancy project-Kaerjing has finally been built.

Moreover, in recent years, with more experts and scholars' further research on the Karez project, more and more people agree with and support the view of "local origin theory".

Regardless of its origin, the Karez project in Turpan area was built by local people bit by bit, which nourished and nurtured the Turpan Oasis, benefited future generations and left us precious spiritual wealth and historical heritage.

In ancient society, Karez, as the only water source in Turpan, was deeply cherished by the local people, and a series of folk culture and water worship ceremonies were formed around Karez project. Whenever the water source is selected for the construction and expansion of Karez, the local people will first hold worship ceremonies at the "Wangjing Temple" and "Wangshui Temple". Pray for the safety and health of the workers elected by the local people and the smooth completion of the project construction. After the completion of the Karez project, we will slaughter cattle and sheep and hold a grand celebration to thank God and the gods for their blessings.

In Turpan area, the local people regard water resources as very precious, and have formed many local customs and proverbs with unique regional characteristics, such as: "Swimming in the water in a dream, after happiness comes", "Water will be clean after boiling for seven times", "Drinking running water without accumulating water" and "defecating in water is the biggest sin". Therefore, when grazing, local people will try to avoid the shafts, open channels and water sources of the Karejing project, so as to avoid livestock manure polluting valuable water sources. When you need to wash clothes and vegetables, you will choose to take water from the canal and move it away from the water source for cleaning. What's more worth mentioning is that local young lovers must give a waist knife at the water's edge of Karez, and the local people think that only in this way can they be protected by the water god.

After the founding of New China, in order to make full use of the precious water resources, the local people formulated a strict production water system by the production brigade. The period from Qingming to autumnal equinox every year is a period when local agricultural production uses a lot of water. If each production team has its own karez and water source, the irrigation water system will be relatively simple. For example, the Garden Brigade in Aiding Lake Township has three production teams, and each production team has a karez, so each production team will use its own karez during irrigation. However, if both the production team and the production team have karez, the irrigation water intake system will be relatively complicated. (Note: Generally, the village is regarded as a production brigade, and the village is divided into several production teams according to production needs).

Lin Zexu became a national hero in the smoking ban in Humen, but was relegated to Xinjiang because of the failure of the Qing court in the Opium War. Lin Zexu visited Turpan four times during his stay in Xinjiang. On February 25th, 1845 was ordered by Daoguang, and Lin Zexu, Huang Nanpo and the second son went to Turpan from Genteketai (commonly known as Kengkeng). The main local officials went out of the city to meet them with a grand ceremony.

1 August, 8451June, Lin zexu passed through Turpan on his way to Hami to wait for his will. In addition, from September 23rd of the same year to 10/mid-October, Lin Zexu visited Turpan twice when he was inspecting 1 10000 mu of land in Hilary. Therefore, Lin Zexu has been to Turpan four times during his stay in Xinjiang.

It is precisely because of this special experience that Lin Zexu, a national hero, has forged an indissoluble bond with Karez in Turpan. In the 25th year of Daoguang (AD 1845), Lin Zexu left such a record when he first arrived in Turpan. He wrote in his diary: "I saw many pits along the way and asked them to be named Kajing ... It is incredible that water passes through the holes in the soil." This shows Lin Zexu's surprise when he first saw this unique water conservancy project-Kerjing. As a water conservancy expert, Lin Zexu once built water conservancy and developed agriculture in many places, and Xinjiang was no exception. According to the records of Xinjiang annals:

In the late Qing Dynasty, especially in the thirty years after Lin Zexu arrived in Xinjiang, under the vigorous advocacy and promotion of Lin Zexu, more than 3,000 karez wells were built in Shanshan and Toksun areas of Turpan. It is clearly recorded in the local literature of Shanshan Local Records: "Lin Zexu, the founder of Kanjing Irrigation Field, was inherited by the Huanglanpo family, and Kanjing has benefited a lot so far." At present, there are more than 60 karez wells in Qiketai Township, Shanshan County. According to research, most of them were excavated and built after Lin Zexu visited Turpan. Moreover, in order to commemorate Lin Zexu's contribution in promoting and advocating Karez, the local people called Karez "Lin Gongjing" to express their gratitude to Lin Zexu for his admiration.

Karez is a great engineering miracle creatively invented and built by people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang in the process of constantly fighting against the harsh natural environment. With diligent hands and infinite wisdom, the ancient working people in Xinjiang built a groundwater vein system in the arid Turpan Basin, which nourished the desert oasis and was the source of life of the oasis ecosystem. It can be said that there would be no developed agriculture and desert oasis in Turpan without Karez.

Karez not only created the miracle of agricultural production in arid areas, but also accumulated a lot of experience in agricultural irrigation production in arid areas, and left us rich material and cultural heritage, even left us precious spiritual wealth of harmonious coexistence between man and nature and between people.

Historical Records Hequ Book (Han Sima Qian)

Textual research on the well canal in the western regions (Wang Qing Guo Wei)

Map of Xinjiang (Qingyuan Dahua)

Local chronicles of Shanshan