【History of Haichuan Pipelines】The earliest water supply system in Guangzhou – Su Dongpo was actually a piping engineer
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We all know that Su Dongpo was a polymath, but he was actually an engineer? That’s right! While serving in Xuzhou, Hangzhou, and Huizhou, Su Dongpo carried out numerous water conservancy projects that benefited the people of those regions; in each of these places he left behind a well-known structure known as the \"Su Causeway\". It is evident that Su Dongpo was not only highly enthusiastic about the construction of water conservancy projects, but was also an expert and a professional in this field. During the Shaosheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Dongpo was exiled to Huizhou in Lingnan. He heard people say, “The people of Guangzhou enjoy drinking salty and bitter water; during the seasons of spring and summer, when diseases are rampant, many of them suffer as a result!” ”At that time, he knew that Wang Zhongmin from Guangzhou was an old friend of his. Deeply compassionate, Su Dongpo wrote a letter to the old man, proposing a solution to the water supply problem: there were springs on Pujian Mountain (Baiyun Mountain), and a large stone tank could be built to store water. Large bamboo tubes drilled with holes could be used to connect these tanks; the joints between them would be wrapped in hemp and coated with paint, allowing the water to flow into the city as the terrain changed in elevation. A large stone basin was created to collect water, from which several pipes were led throughout the city; these pipes ended in smaller stone basins, making the water accessible for people to drink.
After arriving in Huizhou, Su Shi heard that plagues often broke out in Guangzhou, and he became very concerned about this matter; he wrote a letter to his friend, Wang Gu, who was the governor of Guangzhou. Based on his experience in governing Hangzhou, Su Dongpo analyzed that the main cause of plagues was unclean drinking water. He suggested establishing public hospitals to treat the sick, and he proposed the idea that Deng Shouan, a Taoist monk from Luofu Mountain, should bring spring water from Baiyun Mountain to Guangzhou. When Su Shi visited Pujian in Guangzhou, he had already taken note of the terrain and topography of Baiyun Mountain as well as the flow direction of its mountain springs. The stream in the ancient Changpu Gully was called Ganxi because of its clear and sweet water quality. This is recorded in the \"Taiping Huanyu Ji\". The water from Ganxi flows into Wenxi as well as the upper and lower ponds, serving as the main source of drinking water for the residents of Guangzhou.
After the Song Dynasty, due to changes in the terrain, the Pujian stream changed its course and flowed towards Shaha Town. Although there were some famous wells within Guangzhou city, they were occupied by those in power, forcing the ordinary people to drink water from the rivers affected by tidal forces, which led to frequent illnesses. For this reason, in a letter to Wang Gu, Su Shi suggested digging a stone channel beneath Dripping Water Rock to hold the water from the towering waves, and then using five large bamboo tubes arranged side by side to channel the water along the natural slope to various small stone channels in the city, thereby allowing residents to fetch water easily from nearby locations. He also recommended Deng Shouan to take charge of this project, thinking even of ways to build stone channels, connect bamboo pipes, and promptly check for leaks as well as replace the relevant facilities, demonstrating his concern for the people of Guangzhou. This method was adopted, and for a long time thereafter, the residents of Guangzhou benefited from the tap water supply system. The stone water channel donated by Fu Erniang during the Southern Song Dynasty is still on display at the Guangzhou Museum today.
One of the eight scenic spots of Yangcheng during the Song Dynasty was “Pu Jian Lian Quan”; its original location was at Pu Jian Temple on Baiyun Mountain； . It is said that iris grows in these caves; each plant has nine nodes. During the Qin dynasty, Zheng Anqi practiced asceticism here and consumed this iris to achieve immortality and ascend to heaven as an immortal. On July 25th, the anniversary of An Qisheng’s ascension to immortality, many people in Guangzhou went on outings by the Pu River. The scenic beauty of Lianquan refers to the Dripping Rock in Pujian – where water drips from high cliffs; the mountain winds disperse this water, turning it into raindrops that scatter like mist. On rainy days, when the amount of water is greater, the dripping water forms a curtain, creating a truly magnificent sight. Su Shi traveled throughout Pujian, admired the Spring behind the Curtain, and wrote poems: No need for a mountain monk to guide me there; I’ll find the spring emerging from the clouds on my own. A thousand chapters of ancient trees reach a landless expanse; hundred-foot waves surge high, spilling into the sky. Once the home of an iris-alchemy master, later the Zen abode of the radish patriarch. Now only the flowers smile, mocking Qin Shi Huang’s desire to become an immortal.
This is really not a joke. Kang Zhen also mentioned this in his discussion of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties. Moreover, Su Shi carried out many water management projects in Hangzhou and Xuzhou as well
【History of Haichuan Pipes】The summary post is being updated continuously; learn about the development process of various pipes at https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3068575-1-1.html (Source: Huahai Chuanliu – Haichuan Chemical Forum)
Listening to Kang Zhen’s series on Su Shi is truly impressive – he’s very talented