都江堰景区 · Park Road, Dujiangyan City, Chengdu
The world's oldest surviving dam-free irrigation system — begun around 256 BC and still watering the Chengdu Plain today. Walk the ancient weir works, sway across the Anlan Suspension Bridge and watch turquoise water split around Fish Mouth. Named among the 2026 Asia 100 – Best Things to Do.
Welcome to the original "Land of Abundance"
Long before concrete dams, the Qin-state governor Li Bing and his son read the Min River where it leaves the Tibetan foothills and answered it with geometry. Around 256 BC they cut a channel through Mount Yulei, built a fish-shaped dike in midstream and a spillway that flushes away floodwater and silt — no dam, no wall, just a system that divides the river into an inner branch for irrigation and an outer branch for floods and shipping.
That system is Dujiangyan, and it is still doing its job: the Chengdu Plain it created became China's "Land of Abundance", and the works now irrigate about 668,700 hectares of farmland. UNESCO inscribed it — together with neighboring Mount Qingcheng — as a World Heritage Site in 2000. The scenic area wraps the whole engineering marvel in a walkable riverside park, from the Bottle-Neck cliff at Lidui Park across the swaying Anlan Suspension Bridge to the temple courtyards of Erwang Miao.
The essentials
From a fish-shaped dike that tames a whole river to a bridge that sways over turquoise water — these are the things visitors remember.
01The famous dividing embankment, shaped like a fish lying in midstream, splits the Min River into an inner channel for irrigation and an outer channel for floodwater. Standing at its point, you can literally watch an ancient idea still working on the water in front of you.
02The spillway that made the system immortal: in flood season it automatically spins excess water and silt back into the outer river, keeping the irrigation channel clear — hydraulics without a single moving part, 2,280 years before the word "smart" existed.
03Li Bing's workers cut this inlet straight through Mount Yulei — before gunpowder, by heating the rock with fires and cracking it with cold water. The cliff face they left, vase-shaped and sheer, is now the dramatic centerpiece of Lidui Park.
04The legendary rope bridge strides across the inner river on wooden planks and steel-cored cables, swaying gently just above the current. It links the banks at Yuzui, and every step gives you the classic bird's-eye view down into the works.
05On the slope of Mount Yulei, a Ming-dynasty temple complex honors Li Bing and his son as "Two Kings". Climb the courtyards for rooftop views over the weir works, then linger over the stone steles, opera stage and ancient trees.
A walkable open-air museum
Eight sights, one loop — the whole story of how a river was taught to feed a plain.
From the Anlan Bridge the whole geometry clicks into place: the fish-shaped dike, the two channels, the green water sliding obediently to the fields.
Suspended planks, handrail cables and a soft sway — the short walk over the inner river is the park's signature thrill and its best photo angle.
In summer flood season the Feishayan spillway churns white as it rejects the river's extra water — the system regulating itself, no valves required.
Walk the cliff-top paths above Baopingkou, where the isolated Lidui rock stands separated from Mount Yulei by the channel Li Bing's workers cut.
Erwang Temple and the riverside Fulong Temple (legend says a dragon was bound beneath its pond) layer incense, opera stages and cypress shade over the engineering.
At the park gate, the old county town — canalside walkways, teahouses, snack streets and the leafy promenade along the inner river. The street food here deserves a review of its own.
The corbelled bridge-and-corridor at the park entrance glows after dark; when the weirs are lit on summer evenings the whole valley turns lantern-green.
The twin World Heritage site rises just beyond town — the birthplace of Taoism, with forested trails and temple compounds for a second half-day.
…and in between: the ancient bamboo cages of river stone that lined the dikes, the steles and calligraphy along the paths, and the song of the irrigation channel as it leaves for the plain.
Plan like a pro
Straight from recent visitors — the details that turn a walk in the park into the highlight of the trip.
The park opens at 08:00 and the first hours are the quietest and the coolest — tour groups from Chengdu arrive mid-morning. Enter early, walk the works first, and you will have the Anlan Bridge almost to yourself.
An e-ticket on your phone goes straight to the gate — no queue at the ticket windows, no fiddling with local ticketing apps. From $11.99, it is the easiest ten minutes you will save all trip.
Most visitors enter through Lidui Park and follow the crowd. Start along the outer bank toward Erwang Temple first, then cross the Anlan Bridge to Yuzui — you will meet the tour groups head-on before they reach the best viewpoints.
The loop through the works is 4–6 kilometers of paths, bridges and stone steps. Comfortable shoes beat fashion here — and a light jacket helps, the valley stays cool even in summer.
Pets are not allowed anywhere in the scenic area, and drone flights are prohibited over the whole park — the rangers do enforce it. Leave the quadcopter home and bring a zoom lens instead.
The UNESCO twin site is a short bus or taxi ride away. Do the water works in the morning and the front mountain's temples in the afternoon — or stay in town for the ancient-town food streets and come back at dusk.
Photo stops
Turquoise water, ancient stonework and a swaying bridge: Dujiangyan is one of Sichuan's most photogenic half-days.
The classic shot: planks and cables in the foreground, the two channels dividing below, green mountains behind. Shoot early for soft light and no crowds.
Walk down to the fish-mouth lookout for a low, close angle of the dividing embankment with the river pouring around both sides of it.
From Lidui Park, frame the vase-shaped cut of Baopingkou with the water rushing through — the single most "how did they do this in 256 BC" image in the park.
Grey tile ridges, upturned eaves and cypress silhouettes over the river — the temple courtyards stack perfectly into long-lens layers from the upper terraces.
The corridor bridge at the park entrance lights up at dusk; shoot it from the riverside walkway as the lanterns come on along the inner river.
Steam, lanterns and teahouse chatter — the food streets of Guanxian Ancient Town give you the human frame to finish the day's set.
Scenic area gallery
A first look at the works waiting for you — see every photo on the Gallery page.
Traveler reviews
Rated 4.7/5 from 57٬958 reviews on Trip.com — and 4.3/5 (867 reviews, #2 of 44 things to do in Dujiangyan) on Tripadvisor. Here is what real travelers highlight.
🌸哈尔滨景点推荐🌸👉圣索菲亚大教堂: 属于哈尔滨的标志性建筑物，拜占庭式建筑，极具异国特色，被称为“东方小巴黎”，这里还可以喂白鸽哦～👉雪乡: 货真价实冰雪童话世界，堆满雪的小木屋，一望无际的雾凇森林，丰富多彩的雪上娱乐项目，传说中的狗熊岭就在这里啦～👉亚布力滑雪场: 目前国内最大的滑雪场，没有人工添加的粉雪，设施设备齐全，小朋友也可以放心来体验👉冰雪大世界: 带孩子来哈尔滨怎么弄错过冰雪大世界，现实版的冰雪奇缘，白天纯洁无瑕，夜晚流光溢彩
坐落在成都平原西部的岷江上，是当今世界年代久远、唯一留存、以无坝引水为特征的宏大水利工程它最伟大之处是建堰2250多年来经久不衰，而且发挥着愈来愈大的效益 成都周边游好去处 都江堰与青城后山之间 川西水乡 成都版小大理 以山水风光 古韵浪漫和原生烟火 成为成都人青睐的后花园 算是成都周边最商业化的古镇 古镇基本上都是商业化 吃喝玩乐一应俱全 旁边有悠悠游岛 夏天还可以耍水 交通方便 成都周边游的好地方 #
Обязательно к посещению! Очень красивая и продуманная система борьбы с наводнениеми. Плюс на склоне исторические храмы и пещеры, которые можно посмотреть. В итоге на посещение ушло часа 4.
It was a great half day trip. It’s very easy to get a train from Chengdu and the station is right next to the tourist town. You would need a minimum of 3 hours to experience the river and ancient town.
Dujiangyan was a fascinating and memorable place to visit. IWe were amazed by the ancient irrigation system and the wisdom behind this incredible engineering achievement. The beautiful scenery, peaceful rivers, and surrounding mountains made the trip even more enjoyable. It was a wonderful experience combining history, culture, and nature.
ไปช่วงปลายมีนา ปลายหนาวเข้าใกล้ต้นฤดูใบไม้ผลิ ยังมีหิมะบนยอดเขา ต้นไม้สีเขียว ดอกไม้เริ่มผลิบาน บรรยากาศสวยงดงามคุ้มค่ามากๆ แนะนำให้เข้าอุทยานตั้งแต่เปิด อาหาร ห้องน้ำ จุดพักมีตลอดเส้นทางเดิน มีป้ายนำทางตลอดเส้นทาง บรรยากาศดีมากๆ สำหรับมุสลิมอาหารฮาลาลในอุทยานยังไม่มี แนะนำให้พกข้าวกล่อง ขนมขบเคี้ยวเข้าไปครับ
Reviews are sourced from Trip.com travelers and shown in their original language. Individual experiences may vary.
From the blog
Planning advice, ticket facts, transport and photography tips — written for visitors.
Six frames worth the walk, the valley light hour by hour, gear for a drone-free heritage park, and the ancient town's lantern-lit…
Read moreThree field-tested plans — the 3–5 hour water-works loop, the classic Dujiangyan + Mount Qingcheng day, and the slow version with pandas.
Read moreEvery route from Chengdu — the 30-minute intercity train to Lidui Park Station, driving, day tours, and why an overnight in town…
Read moreThe five headline sights of the ancient water works, in walking order — and why mid-span on the Anlan Bridge is where…
Read moreSeason by season at the ancient water works — summer flood drama, the April festival, misty winter quiet, and why an 08:00…
Read moreEvery ticket fact for 2026 — online fares from $11.99, the two seasonal clocks, QR-code entry, real-name ticketing, and the park-exit times…
Read moreTickets from $11.99 — book online with Trip.com, arrive at Park Road when the gates open and watch an ancient river system still doing its job.
