Ximen Bao
Encyclopedia
Ximen Bao was an ancient Chinese government minister and court advisor to Marquis Wen of Wei (文侯) (445 BC
-396 BC
) during the Warring States (481 BC
-221 BC
) period of China
. He was known as an early rationalist, who had the State of Wei
abolish by law the inhumane practice of sacrificing people to river deities. Although the earlier statesman Sunshu Ao
is credited as China's first hydraulic engineer (damming a river to create a large irrigation
reservoir
), Ximen Bao is nonetheless credited as the first engineer in China to create a large canal
irrigation system.
during the 5th century BC. He organized a massive diversion of the Zhang River
(漳河), which had formerly flowed into the Huang He River at Anyang
. The new course that the river took under his diversion project brought the river to meet the Huang He further down its course at a bend near modern-day Tianjin
. The Zhang River rises in the mountains of Shanxi
province, flowing southeastwards, and at the time added to the burden of overflow for the Huang He. Ultimately though, the purpose of this enormous project of engineering was to irrigate a large agricultural region of Henei (in the left lower Huang He basin) by providing it with a natural contour canal.
Work on the canal system began sometime between 403 BC and 387 BC, when Marquis Wen and his successor Marquis Wu reigned over the State of Wei. Due to several setbacks (including some temporary local resistance to corvee
labor service) it was not fully completed until a century later, during the time of Wen's grandson, King Xiang (襄王) (319 BC
-296 BC
). It was during this time that the Wei engineer Shi Chi completed the work of Ximen Bao.
In honor of the Zhang River diversion project, the local populace made a popular song about it, as recorded in the historical work of the later Han Dynasty
historian Ban Gu
.
445 BC
Year 445 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augurinus and Philo...
-396 BC
396 BC
Year 396 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Saccus, Capitolinus, Esquilinus, Augurinus, Capitolinus and Priscus...
) during the Warring States (481 BC
481 BC
Year 481 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vibulanus and Fusus...
-221 BC
221 BC
Year 221 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Rufus/Lepidus...
) period of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He was known as an early rationalist, who had the State of Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
abolish by law the inhumane practice of sacrificing people to river deities. Although the earlier statesman Sunshu Ao
Sunshu Ao
Sun Shu-Ao was an ancient Chinese court minister serving the administration of King Zhuang of Chu during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. During his governmental career, SUN Shu-Ao was given notice by King Zhuang, who had him promoted to the rank of Prime Minister in the State of Chu...
is credited as China's first hydraulic engineer (damming a river to create a large irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
), Ximen Bao is nonetheless credited as the first engineer in China to create a large canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
irrigation system.
Hydraulic engineering
Ximen Bao became well known in his lifetime and posthumously for his grandiose works in hydraulic engineeringHydraulic engineering
This article is about civil engineering. For the mechanical engineering discipline see Hydraulic machineryHydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive...
during the 5th century BC. He organized a massive diversion of the Zhang River
Zhang River
The Zhang River is a river in China. The Zhang River commences in Shanxi province and flows eastward. It then becomes the border of Hebei and Henan province west of Handan and Anyang.A dam on the Zhang River diverts water into the Red Flag Canal....
(漳河), which had formerly flowed into the Huang He River at Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
. The new course that the river took under his diversion project brought the river to meet the Huang He further down its course at a bend near modern-day Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
. The Zhang River rises in the mountains of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
province, flowing southeastwards, and at the time added to the burden of overflow for the Huang He. Ultimately though, the purpose of this enormous project of engineering was to irrigate a large agricultural region of Henei (in the left lower Huang He basin) by providing it with a natural contour canal.
Work on the canal system began sometime between 403 BC and 387 BC, when Marquis Wen and his successor Marquis Wu reigned over the State of Wei. Due to several setbacks (including some temporary local resistance to corvee
Corvée
Corvée is unfree labour, often unpaid, that is required of people of lower social standing and imposed on them by the state or a superior . The corvée was the earliest and most widespread form of taxation, which can be traced back to the beginning of civilization...
labor service) it was not fully completed until a century later, during the time of Wen's grandson, King Xiang (襄王) (319 BC
319 BC
Year 319 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Cerretanus...
-296 BC
296 BC
Year 296 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Violens and Caecus...
). It was during this time that the Wei engineer Shi Chi completed the work of Ximen Bao.
In honor of the Zhang River diversion project, the local populace made a popular song about it, as recorded in the historical work of the later Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
historian Ban Gu
Ban Gu
Ban Gu , courtesy name Mengjian , was a 1st century Chinese historian and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han. He also wrote in the main poetic genre of the Han era, a kind of poetry interspersed with prose called fu. Some are anthologized by Xiao Tong in his Selections of...
.
See also
- Li Kui (legalism)Li Kui (legalism)Li Kui was an ancient Chinese government minister and court advisor to Marquis Wen of Wei in the state of Wei. In 407 BC, he wrote the Book of Law , which was the basis for the codified laws of the Qin and Han dynasties...
- HydraulicsHydraulicsHydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
- Dykes
- DamsDAMSDriot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
- Canals