Kaner well map
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 has important research value in studying 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 of 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, China, tried to attract snow water from the northern Tianshan Mountains to moisten these oases on the Gobi Desert in ancient times, and at the same time avoided the 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 also called "three ancient projects in China".
Kanerjing tourist area
: overview of karez
1. The formation of Karez is a unique and ancient water conservancy project, which widely exists in semi-arid and arid areas.
More than 40 countries and regions in the world have karez, and karez in China is mainly distributed in Turpan and Hami in Xinjiang.
In addition, there are Ruim, Qitai and Fukang in northern Xinjiang and Pishan, Yutian and Kucheyo 1800 highways in southern Xinjiang. Karez wells in northern and southern Xinjiang have dried up and abandoned, and Karez wells still in operation are 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 16 mm, but the evaporation is as high as 3000 mm Therefore, only rainfall and melting water of snow-capped mountains cannot form surface runoff at all. However, after the melting and infiltration of Tianshan snow into Gobi desert, rich groundwater resources were formed.
Corner of Tianshan snow area
Therefore, the local people adjust measures to local conditions, with the help of natural terrain slope conditions, use the potential energy of water, and discharge the groundwater undercurrent 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-Hami area and the gestation of human civilization.
2. Karez is mainly composed of culverts, open channels, shafts and flood control dams. Culvert is the main part of the whole Karez project, which is divided into water collection section and water delivery section according to a certain longitudinal slope.
The front part is the water collection section, which is located below the groundwater level and mainly plays the role of intercepting groundwater; Part of the rear water conveyance section is connected with the surface open channel above the local groundwater level. That is, the aqueduct on the ground leads water to the waterlogged dam or directly irrigates the field.
Shaft is mainly used for positioning, access, excavation, ventilation and inspection and maintenance after culvert excavation. Waterlogging dam is a water storage project of Karez well, which is mainly used to store redundant well water to improve irrigation water capacity, and can adjust the water quantity in each period for farmland irrigation. Improve water supply efficiency and water resources utilization rate.
Karez structural diagram
3. The present situation of Karez With the continuous improvement of the local economic development level, the local water demand is increasing year by year.
1966 The annual water transport capacity of Karez Project reached the maximum, reaching 699.9 million cubic meters. In 2003, there were still 406 karez wells in the local area that could work normally, with a total 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 2008, only 2 14 karez wells in the local area can operate normally, and the annual water delivery capacity has dropped to1.10.50 billion cubic meters. The present situation of Karez is not optimistic.
karez
The origin of karez
There is no unified answer to the origin of the karez project in Turpan, and there are three main theories about its origin.
First, Guan Zhongjing's canal theory; Some historians believe that the Karez project in Turpan was inspired by the well canal in Guanzhong of Han Dynasty, and with the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road, it was introduced to hot and arid areas such as the Western Regions. Wang Guowei, a famous scholar in the Qing Dynasty, pointed out directly in his "Examination of Wells and Channels in Western Regions" that the design concept of Karez Project in Xinjiang appeared as early as the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, and its inspiration came from wells and channels in the Central Plains.
According to Historical Records Biography of Rivers and Channels, Guanzhong, Shaanxi Province created the technology of digging underground pits in the Han Dynasty, which is called "well and channel method". In this way, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty brought Luoshui to Shangluo. After the Han dynasty passed through the western regions, there was no 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 been gradually improved and developed into a karez suitable for Xinjiang.
Located in Turpan along the Silk Road.
The second is the origin theory of Central Asia; However, some historians hold different views that the Karez project was probably first born in arid areas such as Central Asia, and gradually spread eastward to Turpan with the prosperity of the Silk Road.
Third, the theory of local origin; A popular saying is that the Karez project itself was born in Turpan. This ingenious design was made by the working people of all ethnic groups in ancient Turpan according to the local climatic conditions of high temperature, little rain and large evaporation and the topographic characteristics of the basin. After long-term production practice, ingenious design and continuous enrichment and improvement, a huge water conservancy project-Karejing 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 "original" view.
Ancient tools in Turpan area
Regardless of its origin, the Karez Project in Turpan was built by the local people bit by bit, which nourished the Turpan Oasis, benefited future generations and left us precious spiritual wealth and historical heritage.
Customs and water system in Karez
1. Local cultural customs In ancient times, Karez, as the only water source in Turpan, was deeply loved and cherished by the local people, and a series of folk culture and water worship ceremonies were formed around the Karez project. Whenever Karez is built or expanded, local people will hold sacrificial ceremonies at Wangjing Temple and Wangshui Temple. Take this opportunity to pray that the workers elected by the local people can be safe and healthy and can successfully complete the project construction. After the completion of the Karez project, cattle and sheep will be slaughtered and a grand celebration will be held to thank God and the gods for their blessing.
In Turpan, the local people attach great importance to water resources, and have formed many local customs and proverbs with unique regional characteristics, such as: "Dream of swimming in the water, happiness comes first", "Water is clean after being boiled for seven times", "You can drink running water, but you can't drink dead water" and "It is the biggest sin to urinate in the water". Therefore, when grazing, local people will try to avoid the shafts, open channels and water sources of the Karejing project 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 to a place far away from the water source for cleaning. What's more, young local lovers will offer their love broadswords at the water's edge of Karez. The local people think that only in this way can they be blessed by the water god.
Turpan Putaogou village
2. Scientific Water Use System After the founding of New China, the local people formulated a strict water use system for production in order to make full use of precious water resources. Between Tomb-Sweeping Day and the autumnal equinox every year, local agriculture produces 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 uses its own karez for irrigation. However, if both production teams and production classes have karez wells, 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).
The first fire brigade of Putao Township has three production teams and five karez wells. Among them, Azati Karez belongs to the management of the production team. This karez produces the largest amount of water and needs a lot of water in the critical period of crop production. This karez will undertake the task of supplying three production teams. Qiongkarez is also managed by the production brigade and supplied to the second and third production teams; Hoyla, Maizen and Keqike Karegjing are managed and operated by the first, second and third production teams respectively, and are only responsible for supplying water to their own production teams.
People of all ethnic groups in Turpan enjoy a bumper harvest.
Lin Zexu and Karejing
Lin Zexu became a national hero for exterminating opium in Humen, but was demoted to Xinjiang because of the defeat of the Qing court in the Opium War. During his stay in Xinjiang, Lin Zexu came to Turpan four times.
1On February 25th, 845, under the command of Daoguang, Lin Zexu, Huang Nanpo and the second son Yi came to Turpan with Gentetai (commonly known as Kengkeng). Local officials greeted each other outside the city with a grand ceremony.
On August 1845 and 1, Lin zexu left for Hami to wait for his will after a field trip in southern Xinjiang, passing through Turpan. In addition, from September 23rd of the same year to 10 year1mid-October, Lin Zexu visited Turpan twice when he was in Hilary 1 10000 mu of land. So Lin Zexu has been to Turpan four times during his stay in Xinjiang.
Linzexu statue
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 (A.D. 1845), Lin Zexu left such a record when he first arrived in Turpan in the lunar calendar 1.09. He wrote in his diary: "I saw many pits along the way and asked their names."
It's incredible to go through a hole in the water. "This shows that Lin Zexu was surprised when he first saw Karez, a unique water conservancy project. As a water conservancy expert, Lin Zexu once built water conservancy and developed agriculture in many places, and Xinjiang was no exception. Record:
"Wen-Lin Zhong and Yili, who call themselves Karez Turpan people. The land is Huozhou, and it has never rained since ancient times. Wen Zhong ordered to dig a well in the plateau and turn it into a ditch. Lead wells to irrigate fields, and then red soil becomes fertile soil. "
In the late Qing Dynasty, especially in the 30 years after Lin Zexu arrived in Xinjiang, more than 3,000 karez wells were built in Shanshan, Toksun and other areas of Turpan under the vigorous advocacy and promotion of Lin Zexu.
This local chronicle clearly records that "Lin Zexu pioneered the irrigation of fields with exploratory wells, and Huang Jizhi was on the blue slope. So far, the scale of exploration wells has benefited a lot. "
At present, according to research, most of the 60 existing karez wells in Qiketai Township of Shanshan County were excavated and built by Lin Zexu after his inspection in Turpan. Moreover, in order to commemorate Lin Zexu's contribution to the propaganda and advocacy of Karez, the local people also called Karez "Lin Gongjing" to express their admiration for Lin Zexu.
The scenery of Turpan
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.