Ling Canal, located in 66 km in Xing'an county northeast of Guilin, is one of the oldest canals in the world! It is now a famous attraction because of its deep culture, interesting history and beautiful scenery.
The canal was built from 219BC to 214BC during the reign of Emperor Qin Shihuang (259BC - 210BC, the first emperor who united China) and renovated several times during the other dynasties. Qin Shihuang had this canal built to facilitate the transportation of food and money for the army while he was uniting China. After its completion, the canal not only helped transport resources but also irrigated water to the region. Thus, this canal is significant not only in uniting China but also in the development of the Southe China region.
The canal, about 34 kilometers (21 miles) long, is broken into the northe and southe section and connects the Xiang and Lijiang River. The canal is 10 meters (32 feet) in length and 1.5 meters (5 feet) in depth. Today, it still helps with the irrigation of the region.
