Dujiangyan Irrigation System都江堰
Dujiangyan is the world's oldest working irrigation system, started around 256 BCE by the Qin engineer Li Bing to tame the flood-prone Min River without building a dam. A fish-mouth levee splits the river, a spillway flushes away floodwater and silt, and a channel cut through a mountain delivers water to the Chengdu Plain — which it still irrigates today, about 530,000 hectares of it. UNESCO inscribed it in 2000 together with Mount Qingcheng, and it is a 30-minute train ride from Chengdu: the rare ancient site that is still doing its job.
Chengdu · Visitor Guide2026-10-27
Quick Answer
Is Dujiangyan Irrigation System worth visiting?
Li Bing built this dam-free irrigation system around 256 BCE, and it still waters ~530,000 hectares of the Chengdu Plain today. ¥80, allow 2–3 hours, 30 minutes by train from Chengdu.
Quick facts
| Ticket | ¥80 (as of 2026). Combo ticket with Mount Qingcheng ¥160. Students ¥40 with valid ID; children under 1.2 m free. Audio guide ¥20–30. Book via the official WeChat mini-program (都江堰景区) or buy at the gate. |
|---|---|
| Hours | Peak season (Mar–Nov): 8:00–17:30, last entry 17:00. Off-peak (Dec–Feb): 8:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. Open daily. (verify) |
| Recommended duration | 2–3 hours for the core loop (Fish Mouth, Feishayan, Baopingkou, Anlan Bridge, Erwang Temple). Add 1 hour for the Nanqiao (南桥) riverside and the adjacent old town. |
| Best time to visit | Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) for mild weather and a decent river flow. Arrive at the 8:00 AM opening — tour groups land around 10:30. Avoid Golden Week (Oct 1–7). The Water Release Festival (放水节, around Qingming, April 4–5) is crowded but the one time the system is ceremonially "switched on. |
| How to get there | Intercity train (成灌铁路) from Xipu Station (犀浦, end of Metro Line 6) to Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站), ~30 min, ~¥10 — then a 10-minute walk to the gate. Choose Lidui Park over Dujiangyan Station (都江堰站), which needs a bus/taxi. DiDi from central Chengdu ~¥150–250 one-way, 1–1.5 hours. Bus from Chadianzi Bus Station (茶店子客运站) to Dujiangyan city, ~1 hr, ~¥25, then local bus/taxi. |
| English signage | Partial |
| Wheelchair accessible | Partial |
| Built | ~256 BCE, by Li Bing (Qin governor of Shu) and his son |
| Still irrigates | ~530,000 hectares of the Chengdu Plain |
| UNESCO | 2000 (with Mount Qingcheng, list #1001) |
| Ticket | ¥80 (as of 2026) |
| From Chengdu | ~30 min by intercity train |
| Visit time | 2–3 hours |
What to expect
Walk in and you see a wide river, not a dam. Dujiangyan is a 2,200-year-old water-diversion system that splits the flood-prone Min River (岷江) into two channels using a fish-mouth levee (鱼嘴), drains floodwater and silt through the Feishayan spillway (飞沙堰), and feeds the Chengdu Plain through the Baopingkou channel (宝瓶口) — a gap cut by hand through Mount Yulei (玉垒山). The scenic area lets you trace all three along the riverbanks, cross the swaying Anlan Suspension Bridge (安澜索桥), and climb to Erwang Temple (二王庙), a temple complex set into the hillside and dedicated to the builder, Li Bing.
Li Bing, governor of Shu under the Qin state, started the work around 256 BCE with his son Er Lang. Before it, the Min River regularly drowned the plain; after it, the plain became one of China's most productive farming regions — and it is still watered by the same channels, about 530,000 hectares today. What most guidebooks underplay is that there is no dam anywhere: the whole system works by splitting, spilling, and channeling, with no moving parts. Li Bing's six-character maintenance rule, carved in stone — 深淘滩，低作堰, 'deepen the channel, lower the weir' — is still followed at the annual spring clearing. UNESCO inscribed it in 2000 together with Mount Qingcheng (list #1001).
Plan 2–3 hours. Take the intercity train to Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站), not Dujiangyan Station, and walk ten minutes to the gate. If you'll also do Mount Qingcheng the same day, buy the combo ticket (¥160) — they're the same UNESCO site, 30 minutes apart. The honest catch: the engineering is quiet. Arrive without understanding the three parts and you'll just see a river. Read up first, or rent the ¥20–30 audio guide. Mornings are quietest; by late morning the Anlan Bridge queue builds.
How to get there
The fastest route is the intercity railway (成灌铁路, Chengdu–Guanxian line). Take Chengdu Metro Line 6 to Xipu Station (犀浦), then transfer same-station to the intercity train toward Dujiangyan/Qingcheng. Get off at Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站) — NOT Dujiangyan Station (都江堰站). Lidui Park is a 10-minute walk to the scenic-area gate; Dujiangyan Station is across town and needs a bus or taxi. Train time is ~30 minutes, fare ~¥10. Trains run roughly every 20–30 minutes from early morning to ~21:00.\n\nBy DiDi or taxi from central Chengdu: ~1–1.5 hours depending on traffic, ¥150–250 one-way. Set the destination to 都江堰景区 (Dujiangyan Scenic Area).\n\nBy long-distance bus: from Chadianzi Bus Station (茶店子客运站) in northwest Chengdu to Dujiangyan city, ~1 hour, ~¥25, then a local bus or short taxi to the gate. Slower and less convenient than the train now.\n\nOrganized day tours from Chengdu hotels run ~¥300–500 per person including transport, ticket, and a guide, often bundling Dujiangyan with Mount Qingcheng.
Best photo spots
- Anlan Suspension Bridge (安澜索桥) — the swaying chain bridge gives the best view of the Fish Mouth levee splitting the Min River
- Fish Mouth viewing platform (鱼嘴) — where the river divides into the inner irrigation channel and the outer flood channel
- Erwang Temple (二王庙) — temple buildings set into the Yulei hillside, dedicated to Li Bing and his son
- Baopingkou (宝瓶口) — the narrow gap cut through Mount Yulei where water pours from the river into the Chengdu Plain
Tips
- Get off at Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站), not Dujiangyan Station — it's a 10-minute walk to the gate versus a bus or taxi ride.
- Most guidebooks pitch Dujiangyan as a spectacle, but the engineering is quiet — read up on the three parts (Fish Mouth, Feishayan, Baopingkou) beforehand, or you'll just see a wide river.
- Buy the combo ticket (¥160) if you'll do Mount Qingcheng the same day; they're the same UNESCO site, 30 minutes apart.
- Cross the Anlan Suspension Bridge early — it's one-way and the queue builds by late morning.
- Pair it with Mount Qingcheng for a full day: Dujiangyan in the morning (2–3 hrs), Qingcheng after lunch.
Scams to avoid
- Touts at Dujiangyan Station (not Lidui Park) offering 'cheap rides to the scenic area' — unnecessary; use Lidui Park Station and walk ten minutes.
- Self-styled 'English guides' at the gate quoting ¥200+ for a tour. The ¥20–30 audio guide covers the basics and the signage is decent; if you want a live guide, agree the price first (¥150–200).
- 'Discount combo tickets' pushed by touts near the entrance — buy only at the official counter or through the WeChat mini-program.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit Dujiangyan in 2026?
¥80 (as of 2026). Combo with Mount Qingcheng ¥160. Students ¥40 with valid ID; children under 1.2 m free. Audio guide ¥20–30. Book on the official WeChat mini-program or buy at the gate.
How do I get to Dujiangyan from Chengdu?
Intercity train (成灌铁路) from Xipu Station (犀浦, end of Metro Line 6) to Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站), ~30 min, ~¥10; then a 10-minute walk to the gate. DiDi ~¥150–250 one-way, 1–1.5 hours.
How long should I spend at Dujiangyan?
2–3 hours for the core loop. Add 1 hour if you want the Nanqiao riverside and the old town.
Is Dujiangyan still actually working today?
Yes. It still irrigates ~530,000 hectares of the Chengdu Plain and has run for ~2,200 years without a dam — it splits, spills, and channels the river using fixed earth-and-stone works.
Who built Dujiangyan and when?
Li Bing, governor of Shu under the Qin state, began it around 256 BCE with his son Er Lang. His carved rule 'deepen the channel, lower the weir' (深淘滩，低作堰) still guides the annual maintenance.
Why is Dujiangyan a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Inscribed in 2000 as 'Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System' (list #1001) — for being a living ancient engineering work that still functions, with no comparable surviving example elsewhere.
Should I combine Dujiangyan with Mount Qingcheng?
Yes — same UNESCO site, 30 minutes apart. Do Dujiangyan in the morning (2–3 hrs) and Qingcheng in the afternoon. The ¥160 combo ticket saves ¥10 over buying ¥80 + ¥90 separately.
What are the three key parts of the system?
Fish Mouth (鱼嘴) splits the Min River into inner and outer channels; Feishayan (飞沙堰) spills floodwater and flushes silt out of the inner channel; Baopingkou (宝瓶口) is the gap cut through Mount Yulei that delivers water to the Chengdu Plain.
When is the Water Release Festival?
Around Qingming (April 4–5) each year. It re-enacts the annual clearing of the irrigation channels with a scripted dam-breaking ceremony. Crowded — book your train and ticket ahead.
Which train station should I use for the scenic area?
Lidui Park Station (离堆公园站), a 10-minute walk from the entrance. Dujiangyan Station (都江堰站) is further away and needs a bus or taxi to reach the gate.
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