One of the world's oldest working canals, built to supply Qin Shi Huang's southern military campaign by connecting the Xiang and Li rivers across a low watershed divide. The canal's ingenious ploughshare-shaped water divider (Huazui) and stone lock system are still visible and remain a landmark of pre-modern hydraulic engineering.
The Lingqu Canal, in Xing'an County north of Guilin, is among the oldest continuously used artificial waterways in the world, built in 214 BC on the order of Qin Shi Huang to move troops and grain supplies for the Qin conquest of the Baiyue territories of the far south. Engineers of the period solved the problem of linking the Yangtze and Pearl River drainage basins by cutting a channel across a low watershed divide near Xing'an, connecting the Xiang River, which flows north toward the Yangtze, with the Li River, which flows south toward the Pearl River system. The canal's signature feature is the Huazui, a ploughshare-shaped stone divider that splits the Xiang River's flow at a carefully calculated ratio, sending a smaller share into the canal while the majority continues down the natural riverbed. Downstream, a system of stone locks, among the earliest known lock technology anywhere, allowed boats to negotiate the elevation change along the canal's route. Much of the original stonework at the Huazui and along the head of the canal survives in situ, having been repaired and reinforced across two millennia of continuous use rather than rebuilt from scratch, and the surrounding canal-side old town preserves stone-paved streets and Qing-era buildings tied to the canal's later commercial life. Interpretation at the site is presented as an engineering narrative, walking visitors from the river-splitting mechanism at Huazui through the lock system, emphasizing the canal's continuous operational history rather than treating it purely as a ruin.
| Admission | ¥50 (approx. $7) |
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Why it matters
The Lingqu Canal enabled Qin Shi Huang's conquest of the Baiyue lands and, by linking the Yangtze and Pearl River basins, became a key artery for trade and administration between north and south China for over two thousand years.
Highlights
- Huazui, the ploughshare-shaped stone water divider that splits the Xiang River's flow
- Original Qin-era stone lock system, among the earliest known lock technology
- Canal-side old town with stone-paved streets and Qing-era buildings
- Confluence point where the Xiang and Li river systems are artificially linked
Tips for visiting
- Visit the Sishui-Huazui area at the canal's head for the clearest view of the original Qin-era water-splitting engineering
- Walk the old town streets alongside the canal for the best sense of its later commercial history
- Combine with a Guilin-Xing'an day trip since the canal sits north of the main Li River scenic area
- Early morning light works best for photographing the Huazui divider
Frequently asked questions
Is the site English-language friendly?
Signage is mostly in Chinese, though the Huazui divider and lock system are visually self-explanatory engineering features.
How long does a full visit take?
Walking the canal head, the Huazui divider, and the old town typically takes about 2 hours.
Can you visit with kids?
Yes, the flat walking paths along the canal and the visible mechanics of the water divider make it an accessible outdoor visit for children.