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The Chinese people are a hardworking and intelligent people. In order to transform nature and meet their needs for water in daily life, as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties before Christ, primitive water-lifting tools such as the shadoof, windlass water wheels, and tube water wheels appeared in rural areas of China. By the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods, these tools evolved further into foot-operated water wheels, which served as the predecessors of modern water pumps. However, the long-standing decadent feudal rule and policies of isolation prevented the development of China’s pump industry from keeping pace with the modern industrial revolution in the world. The first **War that broke out in 1840 opened China’s doors, gradually turning it into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society; however, it also introduced some modern Western science and technology. It wasn’t until after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 that the Qing government enacted a series of decrees aimed at encouraging the development of domestic industry and commerce, which finally enabled the growth of the national industries. The production of pumps also began during this period. In 1907, Hanyang Zhou Hengshun Machinery Factory produced water pumps with 15–30 horsepower ； In 1913, Wujin Housheng Machinery Factory in Jiangsu began producing simple water pumps. After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the West was **unable to focus on matters in the East, leading to a decrease in imports of equipment. This situation facilitated significant development in domestic national industries; for example, the Shanghai Dalong Machinery Factory expanded to cover an area of 10 mu, equipped with over 100 machine tools and employing more than 300 workers, including apprentices, who manufactured copy versions of American single-stage centrifugal pumps. However, this brief period of prosperity was like a flash in the pan; as imperialist aggression intensified and conflicts grew more fierce, the national industries declined rapidly, and the stricken homeland became a market for the pump products exported by the world’s powers. According to statistics from 1924 to August 1931, China imported a large quantity of foreign pumps, with a total value of 56,998,490 customs taels ； In 1932, Japan established the “Joint Venture Manchurian Works” in Shenyang. It utilized Chinese labor to produce clean water pumps under 12 inches in size; some parts were imported from Japan. At its peak, the factory produced 890 units per year. On the eve of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, due to the economic crisis in the capitalist world, China’s national industry saw little improvement for the most part; it experienced only partial and short-term growth as a result of boycotts against foreign goods. At that time, there were about 20 manufacturers producing water pumps. In Shanghai, these included factories such as Dalong, Shanghai, Xinzhong, Mingtai, Huafeng, Zhen Dan, Shiye, Qiaxing, Hezhong, Gongyi, Wansheng, Pingmin, and Xiechang. Most of their products were small, single-stage, single-suction centrifugal pumps operating at low speeds; in 1935, the total output amounted to 962 units. Around 1935, the Ironworks of the Sino-French University in Beijing purchased German and British prototypes, and proceeded to measure and replicate 1”–2” clean-water pumps. These were among the earliest pump products designed and manufactured by Chinese technicians. In 1936, Shanghai Yonggu Machinery Factory replicated the piston vacuum pump imported from Germany for use with steam equipment. In 1937, the private enterprise “Xinhua Machinery Factory” (one of the predecessor factories of the Wuhan Water Pump Factory), which had relocated to Chongqing, began small-scale production of 1½" to 3½" centrifugal clean-water pumps and 1" to 2¾" steam reciprocating pumps. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, vast areas of the country fell one after another under enemy control, and the flames of war spread. As a result, factories in Shanghai were either destroyed by artillery fire or forced to close down and relocate inland; only a few that managed to survive could barely keep operating. At that time, in the pump manufacturing industry, aside from the Northeast Industrial Complex under Japanese control, only the Beijing Tongyi Water Pump Factory produced small clean water pumps of 1\" to 2\" diameter, with an annual output of only 40 to 50 units ； Meanwhile, Shanghai’s Taili Manufacturing Machinery Co., Ltd. filed for bankruptcy repeatedly, with the number of employees dropping from 1,193 to 320 in August 1945. At that time, in areas under Kuomintang rule such as Kunming, Yibin, Gansu, and Jiangxi, there were a number of \"state-owned\" large factories (under the Kuomintang Resources Commission). During the eight years of the war of resistance, only 397 pumps were produced in small quantities (of which 350 were hand-pumps, 44 were centrifugal pumps, and 3 were steam pumps). After the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, the Kuomintang ** took over enemy and puppet factories in Northeast China and other regions, putting them to use in the civil war by manufacturing military equipment; this resulted in severe damage to the machinery manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, the machinery factories in the southwest region also declined. On the eve of liberation, due to the damage caused by the war, pump production, like other machinery manufacturing industries, was on the verge of collapse. Out of the 100 machines at Shanghai’s Dalong Machinery Factory, 67 were transferred to Taiwan ； The Guangzhou Agricultural Machinery Factory (the predecessor of the Guangzhou Heavy Machinery Factory) had 52 machine tools and 124 employees. It produced hand-cranked water pumps and sprayers. After the “Manchurian Ebara Manufacturing Plant” in Shenyang was taken over by the Kuomintang, it was converted into a small arms factory under the “Liaoning General Machinery Factory”. Part of its premises was used as barracks. At the time of liberation, only 38 dilapidated machine tools and slightly over 30 employees remained; merely two workers had any experience in manufacturing water pumps. Due to the political chaos and prolonged warfare in old China, the development of the pump industry was fraught with difficulties. Consequently, prior to the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the pump manufacturing industry was extremely backward; it essentially functioned as a repair and servicing industry. Resuming production: After the birth of New China, a great historical period of recovery and development of the national economy began. To meet the needs of agriculture and mineral resource development, the existing water pump manufacturing plant was promptly restored. The Formation of the First Pump Manufacturing Plants in New China (I) State-Owned Enterprises: The first were the pump manufacturing plants that belonged to the former bureaucratic capital; they became the first state-owned enterprises under direct central control, such as Shenyang No. 6 Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Shenyang Pump Factory) ； Second, the product was not yet finalized; later, it developed into a locally state-owned specialized pump manufacturing plant. The State-owned Changsha Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Changsha Pump Factory) was originally part of the Engineering Company of Changsha City’s Urban Construction Bureau. After purchasing six factories and businesses including Shunfeng and merging with the state-owned Qunji Machinery Factory, it was officially established on July 1, 1951 ； The Chongqing Water Pump Factory was originally part of the Qianjin Fire Extinguisher Factory under the Southwest Branch of the Civil Aviation Administration. The factory was established in May 1951, and later merged with several smaller factories; it began producing water pumps in April 1952. There’s also Benxi Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Benxi Water Pump Factory). (II) Private enterprises: These are specialized pump manufacturers in the national industrial sector. Primarily, there is the Kuilijin Pump Factory in Changchun (the predecessor of Changchun Water Pump Factory) ； Shanghai’s Shanghai Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Shanghai Pump Factory), Huachang Machinery Factory (merged into Shanghai Pump Factory), Sanfan Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Shanghai No.1 Pump Factory), Xinli Machinery Factory (merged into Shanghai No.1 Pump Factory), Qiaxing Pump Repair Shop (the predecessor of Shanghai Deep Well Pump Factory), Xinseng Machinery Factory (merged into Shanghai Deep Well Pump Factory), and Dalong Machinery Factory, as well as Beijing’s Tongyi Pump Factory (the predecessor of Beijing Pump Factory) ； Wuhan Kai Ming Iron Works Co., Ltd. (the predecessor of Wuhan Water Pump Factory), etc. Timeline: In 1949, China’s first specialized state-owned water pump factory—the Shenyang No. 6 Machinery Factory (predecessor of the Shenyang Water Pump Factory)—was established in Shenyang. The factory fell under the jurisdiction of the Machinery Industry Administration Bureau of the Northeast Industrial Ministry. Private enterprises that produce pumps include Changchun Lijin Pump Factory (the predecessor of Changchun Water Pump Factory), Shanghai Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Shanghai Water Pump Factory), Beijing Tongyi Water Pump Factory (the predecessor of Beijing Water Pump Factory), among others; these enterprises are under the jurisdiction of the respective cities. In March 1950, the design department of the Planning Section at Shenyang’s Sixth Machinery Factory developed a set of universal parts that could be used with various types of water pumps. These include: fasteners, supports, lubricants, seals, drive components, etc., thus initially establishing a standardization system for pump parts. In response to the national call for supporting key construction efforts in Northeast China, many technical personnel recruited from various regions inside the Pass bolstered the ranks of Shenyang No. 6 Machinery Factory. A complete set of technical management teams for product design, process preparation, production manufacturing, and finished product inspection has been initially established, but the organizational structure is still not perfect. At that time, the factory was already capable of mass-producing various centrifugal water pumps with a flow rate of up to 1,000 m³/h and a head not exceeding 300 m, as well as mortar pumps of certain specifications, vacuum return pumps for heating boilers, and other products. Changchun Kuilijin Pump Factory produces rod pumps and small centrifugal water pumps. Shanghai Machinery Factory produces some small-diameter pumps. In January 1951, Shenyang No. 6 Machinery Factory was renamed the No. 6 Factory of the Machinery Industry Administration Bureau under the Northeastern Ministry of Industry (abbreviated as Northeast No. 6 Factory). In July, Changsha Machinery Factory (the predecessor of Changsha Pump Factory), one of China’s second specialized state-owned pump factories, was established. At the end of the year, Wuhan Linzhong Office (one of the predecessor factories of Wuhan Pump Factory) successfully replicated an 8-inch multi-stage pump with three stages. This pump has a flow rate of 110 m3/h, a head of 65 m, and a rotational speed of 2950 r/min; it is driven by a 40-horsepower diesel engine. The Six Northeast Plants launched the first technical training course. There are 50 trainees, and the program lasts for one year. It opens up a path to improving the quality of skilled workers and serves as a precedent for factories running educational programs. Changchun Kuili Jin Pump Factory produced 153 centrifugal pumps ； The Shanghai Machinery Factory produced 49 centrifugal pumps and axial flow pumps. In 1952, the Design Department 2 was established within the Machine Industry Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Heavy Industry to handle the design of water pumps and fans. The Six Northeast Plants established a Design Section and a Construction Section. To accelerate the prototyping of new products, a prototyping section was established. To improve product quality, the factory carried out a product quality inspection campaign. At the same time, in order to improve the quality of castings, technology from Shinchū Company was introduced from Shanghai for inoculating cast iron—a process then known as “molded” cast iron—thereby further enhancing the quality of the cast iron material. In terms of cold working, the factory promotes multi-tool and multi-blade systems, as well as positioners and tool holders. From 1952 to 1957, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sent four groups of 52 trainees to the Six Factories in the Northeast for one-year practical training. The Shanghai Machinery Factory supplied 3 51-inch vertical axial flow pumps and 2 44-inch horizontal mixed-flow pumps to Changle County and Lianyungang in Fujian Province to build large-scale irrigation and drainage stations. These were the largest water pumps manufactured locally at that time, enabling the region to become a productive area where crops could be harvested reliably regardless of droughts or floods. In January 1955, the Regional People’s Committee was abolished; the six factories in the Northeast were placed under the leadership of the First Machinery Industry Administration Bureau of the First Ministry of Machine Building (abbreviated as the First Bureau of the First Ministry of Machine Building). The factory was officially renamed Shenyang Pump Factory. Starting in January, Bureau 1 of the First Ministry of Machine Building purchased from the Soviet Union drawings for 10 varieties of Type K single-stage, single-suction centrifugal pumps. These were handed over to Shenyang Pump Factory for trial production; that same year, 7 of the varieties were successfully prototyped. The pump’s rotational speed increased from 1,450 r/min to 2,900 r/min. Shenyang Pump Factory has also completed the full range of 17 varieties in the K-type pump series. This hydraulic model is quite advanced; based on it, many pump products have been developed using the similarity design method and the velocity coefficient method. In July, Wuhan Machinery Factory successfully developed a 200 m3/h double plunger oil transfer pump. In winter, Shenyang Pump Factory began using Venturi flow meters, introducing a new method for measuring the flow rate of pumps. Use it as a standard and promote its adoption across the entire industry. The first specialized pump factories established after the founding of New China: State-owned: Shenyang Pump Factory ； Locally state-owned enterprises: Changsha Machinery Factory, Chongqing Water Pump Factory, Benxi Machinery Factory. Additionally, Guangzhou Heavy Machinery Factory also produces stainless steel acid-resistant pumps ； In the private sector: in Shanghai, there are Shanghai Machinery Factory, Huachang Machinery Factory, Sanfan Machinery Factory, Xinli Machinery Factory, Qiaxing Pump Repair Shop, Xinseng Machinery Factory, and Dalong Machinery Factory; in Beijing, there is Tongyi Water Pump Factory; in Wuhan, there is Kaiming Iron Factory Co., Ltd.; and in Changchun, there is Kuilijin Metal Pump Factory, among others. In January 1954, the Shanghai Machinery Factory was put under public-private partnership. On April 19, the Design Division of Bureau 1 under the First Ministry of Machine-Building was abolished. Eleven pump technicians from the Second Section of the Design Department were transferred to Shenyang Pump Factory. Together with the factory’s existing design personnel, they established China’s domestic capabilities in pump design technology. In June, Fan Jingchun designed China’s first 6-inch single-stage double-suction centrifugal pump on his own, drawing inspiration from the structure of Japanese CE-type single-stage double-suction pumps. The rotational speed increased from 1450 r/min to 2900 r/min, and the pump operates smoothly with low noise. From then on, our country entered a phase of independent self-design. From September 1954 to May 1955, two sets of drawings for deep well pumps, of models ATH8, ATH10, and ATH14, were introduced from the Soviet Union, and production trials were arranged at the Shenyang Pump Factory. Harbin Institute of Technology established a major in hydraulic machinery, taught by Soviet experts, and since then higher education institutions have had a specialized program for training experts in pump design. The machinery industry faces a shortage of orders, hence the proposal of integrating production with sales and determining production based on sales demand. During this period, Shenyang Pump Factory invented the vortex pump. Shenyang Pump Factory began using \"motor balances\" to measure shaft power, and this practice was spread across the entire industry; some factories still use them to this day. In 1955, the Shenyang Pump Factory successfully developed the 2II-19 type split-case pump, with an efficiency of up to 89%; it was the pump with the largest diameter among double-suction pumps at that time. A feed water pump designed for medium-pressure boilers was also developed – the 5MII7x5 type split-case multi-stage centrifugal pump, which, at a flow rate of 150 m3/h, requires a motor with a power output of 300 kW. During the verification, a full-speed, full-load in-house test is conducted for the first time. After that, 5MII7x3 and 8MII6x5 were manufactured. The PMK type vacuum pumps have been developed into a series. Soviet expert Chudov visited the Shenyang Pump Factory to promote the three-stage design and new product design methods. Changsha Machinery Factory has completed the development of the MII series of centrifugal pumps. Between 1955 and 1956, the policy of socialist transformation of capitalist industries and businesses was implemented, leading to a wave of mergers across various sectors; 18 factories were integrated into the Shanghai Machinery Factory. Changchun Lijin Pump Factory, Beijing Tongyi Water Pump Factory, etc., were converted to joint state-private ownership. In March 1956, Changsha Machinery Factory was officially renamed Changsha Water Pump Factory. In June, the General Machinery Research Institute of the First Ministry of Machinery was established in Beijing. In July, Shenyang Pump Factory conducted an in-house high-temperature test at 105 degrees Celsius on the 2.5IIB-1.5 vortex pump, using a closed-loop piping system to raise the temperature. This method has since become a typical approach for high-temperature testing in the pump industry and is still being used to this day. In September, Shenyang Pump Factory successfully prototyped the DG72-59 medium-pressure boiler feed pump, and conducted hot-state tests at full speed and under full load. In October, Shenyang Pump Factory developed a prototype of the 6HK6x1 type cold oil pump modeled after Soviet designs, marking the beginning of oil pump production for refineries in China. Starting in 1959, the DJ, DR, FDj, and FDR types of hot and cold oil pumps were developed in series. In December, Shenyang Water Pump Factory successfully developed the 5KC5X2 and DKH5/1 types of condensate pumps for use in power plants. The water pump industry carried out targeted planning activities for the first time. The Second Department and the First Bureau assigned Yang Xuzhong from the Planning Department, together with Zhang Chuanbu, Sui Dianwen, Yang Shunqi, and others from Shenyang Pump Factory, to form a research team. This team traveled to cities such as Changsha, Wuhan, Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, and Dalian in order to investigate the conditions of pump manufacturing plants across the country, so as to determine the specialties of each plant as well as the overall layout and development plans for pump manufacturing in the nation. Following the investigation, it was recommended that Wuhan be developed into a large-scale pump manufacturing plant, Shijiazhuang into a specialized impurity pump factory, and Dalian into an acid-resistant pump factory. Due to the scattered locations of various factories in Shanghai, no specific development plans were put forward at the time. It wasn’t until September 1960 that, with Shanghai Machine Works as the core, seven factories were merged; they then relocated to Minhang to establish a new plant, at which point it was officially renamed Shanghai Water Pump Factory. Later, it was designated by the Ministry of Electrical Machinery as a specialized manufacturer of axial flow pumps. The Shanghai Machinery Factory is now capable of manufacturing axial flow pumps with diameters of 500–1200 mm, in models PV1–PV16. In the second half of the year, Changsha Pump Factory successfully developed China’s first 24MII type split-case pump, with a diameter of 32 inches, a flow rate of 5000 m3/h, and a head of 26 meters. In early 1957, the Changsha Pump Factory produced the first 16II (20-inch) large vertical split-case pump, equipped with a 10–15 meter long drive shaft, for use in deep wells for sewage treatment projects in cities such as Tianjin and Wuhan. On May 10, in accordance with the approval given in Document No. 244 issued by Bureau 1 of the First Ministry of Machine Building under reference (57) Qi Yi Ji Zi Zi, the Shenyang Pump Research Office was established (the predecessor of the Shenyang Pump Research Institute). In September, the first batch of graduates graduated from the Hydraulic Machinery major at Harbin Institute of Technology. From then on, our country had its own trained professionals engaged in the research and design of water pumps. In September, Foshan Machinery Factory was officially renamed Foshan Water Pump Factory. In December, the National Conference on Agricultural Mechanization was held. Eight industrial pump manufacturers, including the Iron Factory of the Shijiazhuang Industrial Bureau, were identified to produce pumps for agricultural use in order to support agricultural mechanization. Changsha Water Pump Factory produces 15 single-stage single-suction and single-stage double-suction centrifugal pumps. Under the foreign aid program, these pumps are provided to countries such as North Korea, Vietnam, and Albania. Under the supervision of Director Hu Guang of the General Machinery Research Institute under the Ministry of Machine Building, Zhang Chuanbu, Zhao Zhisong, and Chen Ajiu developed the first set of professional standards for pumps. These standards encompassed a series of pump models, acceptance test methods, and technical acceptance criteria, thereby helping to standardize the water pump manufacturing industry. Drawings for slurry pumps and corrosion-resistant pumps produced by Shenyang Pump Factory have begun to be supplied to industry manufacturers. The Ironworks of the Shijiazhuang Municipal Bureau of Industry (the predecessor of Shijiazhuang Water Pump Factory) trial-produced and put into production 2 1/2HΦ, 4HΦ, and 6HΦ sewage pumps ； 2SP, 4SP, 6SP type mortar pumps ； HII-1, HII-2, HII-4, IIHB-2, IIHB-3 type mud pumps. Foshan Pump Factory replicated the 14-inch axial-flow pump from the United States; it also successfully developed a 40-inch axial-flow pump and produced other products such as mixed-flow pumps. On May 19, 1987, the **Mechanical Committee officially announced that the key enterprises in the industrial pump sector were Shijiazhuang Water Pump Factory, Shenyang Water Pump Factory, Changsha Water Pump Factory, Shanghai Water Pump Factory, Dalian Acid-Resistant Pump Factory, Dalong Machinery Factory, and Shenyang Foundry. The key enterprises include Beijing Water Pump Factory, Yangquan Water Pump Factory, Benxi Water Pump Factory, Harbin Water Pump Factory, Boshan Water Pump Factory, Wuhan Water Pump Factory, Foshan Water Pump Factory, Chongqing Water Pump Factory, Baoji Water Pump Factory, Lanzhou Water Pump Factory, Tianjin Industrial Pump Factory, Shanghai No.1 Water Pump Factory, and Zhejiang Vacuum Equipment Factory, totaling 20 companies. March 30, 2001: Beijing Pump Factory officially declared bankruptcy (originally established as Beijing Tongyi Pump Factory in 1940). 2001: Wuhan Pump Factory ceased production. 2004: Shenyang Pump Factory was insolvent and operating at a loss; it was subject to strategic restructuring by Shenyang Blower Group. As a result, the name of Shenyang Pump Factory disappeared, and the brand associated with its pumps was not preserved. 2008: Baoji Water Pump Factory went bankrupt; Aerospace High-Tech Co., Ltd. acquired it and integrated it into its operations. June 4, 2019: Shandong Bopump Technology Co., Ltd. went bankrupt (the company was established in 1993 through the restructuring of Boshan Water Pump Factory). September 26, 2019: Hunan Yifang Technology Development Co., Ltd. acquired 70.66% of the shares of Changsha Water Pump Factory for just 1 yuan.