Xin'an River Yuliang Dam

Yuliang Dam is located in Yuliang Village, Huicheng Town, She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. The dam was originally built during the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, with a history of nearly 1,400 years. It is one of the famous ancient water conservancy projects in China and the largest ancient water conservancy project in She County. Ziyang Bridge Ziyang Bridge is 140 meters long, 14 meters high, and 10 meters wide. Because the upstream of the bridge was the dock for Huizhou merchants' boats, the bridge arches were built much taller than those of ordinary bridges. Yuliang Dam Yuliang Dam can store water from upstream and slow down the flow downstream. It serves multiple purposes including irrigation, navigation, rafting, and flood control. The dam is 138 meters long, 27 meters wide at the base, and 4 meters wide at the top, entirely constructed with solid stone blocks, each weighing over a ton. Yuliang Dam is the oldest and largest ancient river dam on the upper reaches of the Xin'an River and the most well-known ancient water conservancy project in Huizhou, known as the "First Dujiangyan in Jiangnan." The dam holds great importance: first, for flood discharge and drought prevention; second, for intercepting and facilitating navigation; and third, for beautifying the environment. Throughout history, the rise and fall of the dam have been regarded as a symbol of Huizhou's prosperity or decline. As an important dock for merchant fleets traveling along the Xin'an River for centuries, Yuliang Dam was the starting point for Huizhou merchants during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, where family fortunes were built, earning it the title "Source of Huizhou Merchants." Yuliang Dam is entirely built by stacking layers of granite stones. The construction method is scientific and ingenious: every ten bluestones are stacked with a stone pillar standing upright, and between the upper and lower layers, solid stone blocks are inserted like nails, called "stabilizers" or "ingot nails." This technique locks the upper and lower layers together like a stone lock, making the structure extremely firm. Each stone in every layer is also connected by stone locks, tightly linking the dam vertically and horizontally, forming a solid dam spanning the river. There is a water gate in the middle of the dam for drainage. Yuliang Dam crosses the Lian River, making the water level calm above the dam and the flow turbulent below. The southern end of the dam rests against Longjing Mountain, and the northern end connects to the old street of Yuliang Ancient Town. This old street is well preserved and is a typical layout of Huizhou-style residences. The bluestone-paved road has many forks leading down to the riverbank, allowing access to Yuliang.