[Photo] Discover Thanh Dong Hiep - a tourist attraction on the Yellow River, China
With a rich culture and an irrigation system with thousands of years of history, the Thanh Dong Hiep valley tourist area on the Yellow River is a destination to learn about the Western Xia culture and admire the unique natural scenery formed from the special geological structure in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
Báo Nhân dân•15/06/2025
The Yellow River section flowing through the city of Thanh Dong Hiep is about 58km long. Over the past 2,000 years, 14 ancient canals were dug and built by feudal dynasties starting from the Qin-Han period, such as the Qin Canal, Han Canal, Han Dinh Canal, Duong Lai Canal, and That Tinh Canal to serve agricultural irrigation and daily life, and are still in use today.
Currently, the irrigation system diverting water from the Yellow River in Ningxia has more than 25 canals, serving to irrigate about 9.82 million Chinese mu (about more than 6,500 km 2 ).
In 2017, the ancient irrigation system of the Yellow River in Ningxia was recognized as a world heritage site for irrigation works. It is the first world heritage site for irrigation works on the main stream of the Yellow River, and also the first world heritage site in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
About 70km from Yinchuan City - the capital of Ningxia Autonomous Region, China, Qingtongxi Valley Tourist Area on the Yellow River is a national 5A tourist destination. The Qingtongxi Valley on the Yellow River is also a key cultural preservation site, as it lies in the central area of the ancient irrigation area that brought water from the Yellow River in Ningxia. The Nine Dragons Square is symbolized by nine white jade dragons surrounding a bronze ball. The nine dragons represent nine ancient canals, and the ball represents the irrigation of Thanh Dong Hiep.
Thanh Dong Hiep Hydroelectric Plant was first built on the Yellow River, with a dam body length of 693.75m and a height of 42.7m. This is a comprehensive irrigation project that serves irrigation needs, produces electricity, and prevents and controls floods... Thanh Dong Hiep Hydropower Plant started construction in 1958, currently has 8 units with a total capacity of 272,000kW, producing 104 millionkWh per year. Thanh Dong Hiep Valley is a 10km long, 50-100m wide river section on the Yellow River, with cliffs higher than 30m on both sides, forming a majestic, rugged landscape, known as "The first valley in the upper reaches of the Yellow River". Tourists experience a boat ride to see the scenery of Thanh Dong Hiep valley on the Yellow River.
Thanh Dong Hiep Valley is formed by geological layers of limestone and shale with very hard and high density characteristics from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods - the first two geological age units of the Paleozoic era. The statue of Yu the Great - said to be a successful water controller with the story of "passing by his own house three times without entering" because of his dedication to his work, is erected on the banks of the Yellow River. Located right next to the Yellow River, the tourist attraction called "108 Towers" is one of the largest ancient tower complexes still preserved today. The site of these 108 towers is the water gate of the ancient Tanglai Canal on the west bank of the Yellow River, built during the Western Xia period (1038-1227). 108 towers were created based on the mountain's shape, divided into steps. Archaeologists have found scriptures, colored wax figures, and colored silk paintings in the ancient tower, showing the cultural exchange and integration of the ancient Ningxia region.
The 108 towers are of great value in the study of the Yellow River culture, Western Xia culture, irrigation systems... Tourists take photos at the top of 108 towers with the entire space of Thanh Dong Hiep valley on the Yellow River.
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