Ling Canal is situated in Xing'an County, 66 kilometers (41 miles) away to the northeast of Guilin in Guangxi Province. It is one of the oldest and most integrated canals in existence in the world. Beautiful scenery, cultural relics, and historical sites make the Ling Canal a famous scenic spot in Guilin.
The canal was built from 219BC to 214BC in the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259BC - 210BC, the first Emperor who unified China) and renovated several times in the following dynasties. After annexing the six countries (Qi States, Chu States, Yan States, Han States, Zhao States, Wei States), Qin Shi Huang dispatched 500,000 troops to the regions south of the Five Ridges (covering Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces). However, there were no convenient roads to the south. Therefore, Qin Shi Huang ordered Shi Lu (an official of the Qin) to take charge of the building of a canal which would enable the transportation of food and money for the army. When completed, the project not only facilitated the transporting of goods but also provided irrigation to the region. In a word, it played an important role in the integration of China and the prosperity of that region.
The canal, about 34 kilometers (21 miles) long, consists of two parts: the northern canal and the southern canal. Connecting the Xiang River and the Li River, the canal is 10 meters (32 feet) in length and 1.5 meters (5 feet) in depth. Each of the five parts of the canal has a specific function. For example, Hua Zui, in the shape of a ploughshare, is a stone dam made of giant stones. Its function is to divide the upper reaches of a sea partly into the northern canal which disembogues itself into the Xiang Rive and partly into the southern canal, which empties into the Li River. Scientifically designed, it still performs its function in terms of irrigation.