Zhengguo South Distributary Canal (Zheng Guo South Branch, Jingyang South)
South Zhengguo Branch · Jingyang South Zhengguo Canal
Warring States Qin 246 BCE to Han 120 BCE (Zhengguo south)·Qin state Wei–Jing plain with Korean Zheng Guo engineer·🇨🇳 Shaanxi Province, Jingyang County, Zhengguo Canal South distributary 8 km south of main trunk (south bank Wei–Jing plain south), China
Weirivermap.png : Kmusser derivative work: Felis domestica ( talk ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
About Zhengguo South Distributary Canal (Zheng Guo South Branch, Jingyang South)
Southern distributary arm (380 m) 8 km south of Zhengguo main trunk canal, Jingyang County, Shaanxi, Wei–Jing plain south bank. 6 m with rammed-hangtu side levees 3 m high and 42 m long stone dragon-tail outlet weirs 6 each feeding Jingyang southern 420 ha millet–wheat rotation. 2 m. Dated 246 BCE Korean engineer Zheng Guo for Qin (spy story) with Han 120 BCE south branch secondary expansion for reclaimed Zheng white alkaline soils. Sima Qian Shiji 29 mentions debunked.
Threatened by Jingyang urban canal piping and Wei siltation.
Why it mattersOnly intact southern millet branch with dragon-tail weirs and ichthyomorphic carp gates proving Han southern reclamation beyond Qin main.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Dragon-tail weir 42 m hydraulics — why dragon-tail curve
Theories
- 01South branch as Han alkaline white soils reclamation south plain — social frontier
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.246 BCE (Zheng Guo Korean) + Han 120 BCE south secondary branch
- Period
- Warring States Qin 246 BCE to Han 120 BCE (Zhengguo south)
- Culture
- Qin state Wei–Jing plain with Korean Zheng Guo engineer
- Builders
- Zheng Guo Korean engineer spy-for-Qin + Han south expanders
- Purpose
- Jingyang southern plain earth canal 18 km 14×2.6 m with 6 dragon-tail weirs 42 m feeding south 420 ha millet — Han south soil reclamation
- Abandoned
- c.1200 CE (Wei siltation) traces preserved 18 km
- Rediscovered
- 1974 Jingyang south branch 18 km Dragon-tail weirs mapped
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
246 BCE
Zheng Guo Korean 246 BCE main canal
120 BCE
Han south distributary 18 km 14×2.6 m carp gates
1974
Dragon-tail weirs 6×42 m Jingyang south measured
On the ground
Structures & features
34.5200° N · 108.8200° E · 380 m · 2 mapped features
Dragon-Tail Outlet Weir (42 m)
structureStone dragon-tail weir 42 m long — 6 each on south distributary
34.5210° N · 108.8210° ECarp-Shaped Fish-Scale Gate (1.2 m)
structureCarp basalt gate 1.2 m Ichthyo fish-scale division gate unique Zhengguo
34.5220° N · 108.8220° E
Gallery