The Hidden Reservoir Translated by Hugo Lan,
All Rights Reserved In the second half of 2009,encountered in southwest area of China, the rare extreme drought in Chinese history. Farmlands fractured and wells dried up. reservoirs dried to the bottom and crops were affected in 5 million HYPERLINK "app:ds:hectare"hectares. more than 50 million people became victims. more than 20 millions were facing the impasse of no water to drink. without water, we live on earth. without water won’t it be...
But in Xinhua county, Loudi of Hunan province .It’s said that 50 million square meters terraced fields holding HYPERLINK "app:ds:abundant"abundant water without pool and reservoir. This field of terraced fields of over 2000 years’ history as said, even facing extreme droughty season, it could yield abundant grain and people grow flourish. Local people there never store the water, they just plug a bamboo pipe into the mountain body, and the water could flow out HYPERLINK "app:ds:continuously"continuously, and it flow all through the year. Plugging a pipe into the mountain body, or seeing water come out as digging a hole.No one knows where the water comes from.
What a beautiful picture!You may imagine this once you see it, If I could go and see the place,what an impulse!you see, among the clean clouds and blue sky, and in the local proverbs,people say: Under heaven, all is in chaos, here is excellent. Under heaven, all is dry, here is excellent.
In small words, harvest even in drought;In big words, this is a heaven! Everyone know that we’are facing droughty weather in many places within these two years. Drought means people and domestic animals live without drinking water, means the sprouts in fields will all die withered and then what?Try best to seek water source .As said, people here never do that Plug in a bamboo pipe anytime, Hua-hua-hua, water comes out God give us the feel that it is not a mountain,it is a whole huge sponge.
Where does the water come from? Ziquejie Terraced Fielsds is located in Shuiche Village, Xinhua, Hunan.Spreads over the HYPERLINK "app:ds:high mountains and lofty hills"high mountains and lofty hills in Fengjia Mountain system of Xuefeng mountains there are almost 50 million square meters terraced fields Joint fields reaches the number over 12 million square meters. let’s say where there’s mountain there’s fields, where there’s field, there’s water.
However, in the anti-disaster relief in the Southwest, the biggest difficulty that many places faced is lack of water as the basic need of living now it becomes a day dream. these children at the age of 4 or 5 years old and old people of 60 or 70.across one mountain to the other lies one thousand meters far away with water bucket on back, to seek for water, since water source dries, no water to use, no water to drink no water to get, where does the water come from?
It becomes the biggest question,With all those questionsApproaching Science reporters came to Shuiche (means‘waterwheel’) Village, the core district of Ziquejie in October, 2010.But we walked over the mountains and didn’t see even the shadow of the waterwheel nor the reservoir.but true that plugging a pipe into the mountain body and water comes out.
So where does the water come from? I’ve taken photos here for 7 or 8 years water here is seen all through the year all has this much water high mountains got water too how high mountain is, how deep water is can’t find a clue the unique view of Ziquejie has attracted many photographers rice fields in deep mountains list like ladders terraced fields in droughty seasons are still sparkling with water to seek for the water source. villagers haven’t got any ideas .they just say it was like this since yeaars of ancestors .
When was it like this? long long ago the water was here water was here in all the four seasons. If Zequejie Terraced Fields had lasted for thousands of years. then to the secrets of its water source wasn’t there an expression?we checked the family books of the village as well as the HYPERLINK "app:ds:county annals"county annals besides some basic description there’s no introduction to when it forms and possible cause factor we haven’t consulted what we want 。
But according to the HYPERLINK "app:ds:archaeology"archaeology materials among the relics around the discover of farming and planting tools helped us deduce that the terraced fields were cultivated in Qing dynasty(over 2000 years ago) by Yao people formed Song and Ming dynasty (1500 years ago) A history of 2000 years at least, It is the symbolic heritage of the rice planting culture of Hunan 。
People living here for generations have never worried for water, then what do villagers here say about where the water source come from? The local peasants were heard that Liu Xin Administrative Director of Ziquejie。
Jiangziya used to come to this place. he flew his HYPERLINK "app:ds:horsetail whisk"horsetail whisk and soon the mountains were covered with fog and smoke and it began raining in the evening Clouds and fogs come around that’s why for so many years, over 2000 years. there’s never been lack of water. Lots of local stories are made to illustrate where the water source is but even now. nobody could explain it clearly.
Ziquejie Terraced Fields .How wonderful this place is! As we have mentioned before. plugging a pipe into the mountain body and the water comes out we now make a model and plug this pipe into it and check if there’s water coming out. then our secret is very simple. we open the lid and dig a hole inside fill water into a plastic bag. as there’s hole on it. the water sure comes out by itself.but let’s think of it. this is plant mud and that is a real mountain inside of it there’re rocks and soil and is covered with vegetation take the normal water irrigation construction .as an example whether there is a reservoir.or there’s a well.but here none is seen.
None of those could be seen. and so strange.no matter how dry the other places around are here’s water forever Experts calculate that to ensure there’s water in these 50 million square meters’ fields 50 million square meters’ fields billions of steres water is in need.which equals to the storage of a medium sized reservoir where exactly did the ancestors think to utilize this water? How did it HYPERLINK "app:ds:guarantee"guarantee there’s enough water for planting. as well as for thousands of people’s drinking how about the need of water in people’s daily life?
The secret that the terraced fields could plant riceis attributed to the intelligent irrigation. the ancient people founded .various irrigation projects . the Hani Terraced Fields utilize the high mountain forests to keep the water source store the water through the slope build the HYPERLINK "app:ds:irrigation canals and ditches"irrigation canals and ditches to attract water from rivers the Kan’er Well of Xingjiang utilizes the water of underground.
The Nongsheng Terraced Field of Guangxi. utilizes the pond and water of the creeks. and the Ziquejie Terraced Fields.it is entirely different from other places .that here’s not even one place like reservoir or well irrigation project then if the water that comes continuously . weren’t from the reservoir or pools.where does it come from?I’ve been engaged in HYPERLINK "app:ds:irrigation works"irrigation works for almost 50 years as talking about the irrigation .it is difficult to carry out .
If there were no huge reservoirs. or pools and it’s hard to keep harvest Nie FangrongFamous HYPERLINK "app:ds:irrigation works"irrigation expert with over 40 years related experience. as same to all others. he is curious about the wonderful HYPERLINK "app:ds:phenomenon"phenomenon.After inquiring to local people. he noticed the unique climate. in Ziquejie. I used to run into the fields looking for the water source.
But I never made it. according to the shooting (photos) process.I find the meteorological scenery is closely related to the water Ziquejie was located in the center of Xuefeng mountains it is the transitional zone from uplands of central Hunan to the West of Hunan is at subtropics monsoon climatic region. clouds and fogs are among mountains all years. then is the abundant water source related to the rainfall amounts?
We checked the rainfall records during these years. which shows the average annual rainfall reached above 1600 mm more than the average level of Hunan province. and it is a location of rainstorm. one of the rainy locations . the materials show that the elevation of Xuefeng mountain range is higher than 800 meters. its temperature is lower than the hilly area its humidity is more than the hilly area there’s enough moisture in the air that’s why its rainfall is more than the hilly area.
The unique HYPERLINK "app:ds:geographical condition"geographical condition and climatic environment.is one of the main causes of the abundant water source rainfall is more comparatively. is one of the main cause that here’s abundant water source then there are many other places around China where there are enough rainfalls why just here has continuous water? no pools, no reservoirs. no wells, no water pumps no water blocking, no water storing.
What else is related except the abundant rainfall?Stories about Tree God is popularized here. with guidance of the locals we come to Louxia Village. the annual worshiping ceremony is just held here.ancient camphor trees are regarded as symbols of ancestors. in the eyes of villagers .trees have mysterious power .the mean of hanging red cloth is to pray for good fortune with hope that the water source here is abundant forever and may it never stop. maybe, it is just the HYPERLINK "app:ds:psychological hint"psychological hintof the locals. but with the forest vegetation on sight we know that Ziquejie. apart from the rainy days that are relatively more most of the rest days are foggy diversified vegetation source. can make all these rain be blocked and absorbed.enables more water become the storage of the mountain.then is the secret of the water source related to the vegetation coverage that reaches up to70%?
There are two acres of mountains over one acre of fields .the proportion from 1：2 to 1：3. has protected this forest so well especially as to the forest on the maintain top. it is as a reservoir as Nie Fangrong said in the whole mountain there is no reservoirs. the clouds are the source of the water. the vegetation is the reservoir of Zequejie. but is the water that blocked and stored by the vegetation enough to enable 50 million square meters terraced fields planting?
There are thousands of places around China where there are vegetations why is this place the only place that is not lack of water? then how do we explain the phenomenon that there is continuous water coming out of the pipe plugging into the mountain body?
We analyse it like this big mountains, forests, terraced fields and water.form the system of the Ziquejie terraced fields In this system vegetations are abundant which is one of the main causes to the guaranteed water source. but it is not the only main cause which means there are still secrets .hidden from the mountain body itself. introduced by the local villagers. this piece of terraced fields still keep water . if blocking the ridge even when it does not rain for ages. to the question where the water source is men and women living in Ziquejie could not give out an answer guesses were denied.the only explanation is the legend of the Magic Dragon.
As the dragon is the embodiment of the water and is the mascot of the water. so the villagers here are worshiping the Dragon for a long time . people here have believed that hidden inside the mountain body, there is a river. so through the Grass Dragon Waving hope this hidden river will never dry out. and the water in Ziquejie will flow up forever.
Because this place used to be a sea. we can still find some trails of the sea , the ordinary people say there’s hidden river and underground river or so the saying that there’s hidden river in Ziquejie makes some sense. if there were mountains on higher topography around the hidden river may flow water out from the high level to the low level below there there is water coming out under the rocks. water spouts out continuously from the underground. rivers hidden inside the mountain body is the water source also related to the geological tectonic fracture zone?
His reminds us of the researches on some bubbling springs whose well eyes are on a big piece eological tectonic fracture zone With a terrain of high on South and low on North several spring spots are formed in low terrains Water permeates from the high level to low level continuously and spouts out through the gaps. it forms the bubbling spring. once the difference of the water pressures reaches the certain amount, spring sprouts out of the earth surface the Ziquejie Terraced Field is located .
In the center of Xuefeng Mountain Range in central Hunan Nanling Mountain Range is to her southwest as the Wuling Mountain Range is to her Northwest. no higher ranges around and the various water sources and the mountain slope at different levels. plugging a bamboo pipe and water comes out this does not match with the guess of bubbling spring.Then the field that is never lack of water in front us.What is the HYPERLINK "app:ds:geologic"geologic HYPERLINK "app:ds:structure"structurelike?By checking the local geologic structure material and the research on the selected model. We find the form of the phenomenon of Ziquejie has a close relationship with the local geologic environment this whole Ziquejie district lies over 200 kilometers long and is wider than 100 kilometers it’smoorstone base zone as the character of moorstone is hard which doesn’t leak and may be used as the HYPERLINK "app:ds:water-resisting layer"water-resisting layer. revealed out of the earth surface of Zequejie is the moorstone after weathering with wide gaps and strong water permeability
Meanwhile as we keep moving on the research a found by accident . gives us new hints . the water comes out in winter is also 17 or 18 Celsius degrees and so as the water in summer is also 17 or 18 Celsius degrees. keeps the constant temperature. this accords with it. the temperatures between 2 to 5 meters deep in the soil are the same, then is the structure of the soil and the continuous water source related or not as the research developing we find the moorstone based .
Mountain body is covered with soil which is formed of weathered moorstone of 3 to 5 meters thick. this soil is formed after weathering and is called the sandy soil.you see there are much sands in it. now I touch it like this. there’s not so much mud as the sticky soil and the poriness of this soil is big and it is with high content of water and keeps water welll. it has a balanced guttation rate each time it rains. the time can be balanced every 10 to 15 days it sprouts out the water That soil is real typical sandy soil really, soil like this is turned from the moorstone .do you believe, is it possible? but how about thinking of this. how many years has moorstone been formed?
Maybe it is even longer than the history of the biosphere, however, after so many years weathering the rocks also turn old and eventually their lives will go to an end and it will break up through all kinds of physical and chemical reactions and turn big pieces to small ones, small ones to sands, and the sands turn to soil finally.
And you see this is a piece of weathered moorstone. the edged pieces could be rubbed out, even this corner could be removed from the whole. did you see that and this is due to the function of the weathering as mentioned of the local soil whose water storage is huge. and how huge is it?
Let’s come back to Mr. Nie . Nie Fangrong estimated if counting 1 meter of the surfaced soil in each “mu” (667 square meters) 100-200 stere water can be stored there’re 115 square kilometers soil in Ziquejie Which carriers at least 10 to 15 million steres water besides, as it is in subtropical zone there is an annual rainfall of 1600 millimeters 200 millimeters more than the local plain upland zone. enables sufficient water source for terraced fields. if facing the dry season.normally 10 millimeters water is evaporated and leaked. the soil could keep the water for 20 days. on one “mu” (667 square meters) soil. 100-200 steres water can be stored. and it’s no problem the rainfall lasts long in the process that water storing to its seeping out of the earth surface. providing sufficient water source for Ziquejie terraced fields.
The irrigation system of millions of terraced fields. no rebars or cements are used. but all made from rocks and pipes and the irrigation on mountain top is to bury the bamboo pipes into the soil. attracting water from the high levels. working out the bamboo pipes as the water channels. and supply water to places where water is needed the divided water flows to different villages and terraced fields .this forms the unique natural irrigation systemWater comes from the rocks. water stores in the soil. harvest seasons all the years. isn’t strange you say? one of its specialties is .there’s a few times more rainfalls from the sky The second one is the vegetation in forests is kind of flourish the third one is the HYPERLINK "app:ds:water holding capacity"water holding capacity of the soil is better the fourth one is the bottom of the mountain does not leak.
As experts said,it is good timing, good location and good people managing,sufficient water sources are absorbed .blocked by the flourish forests and the sandy soil with high water content. absorbs the water richly and the moorstone beneath the bottom of soil is like the waterproof baseboard . keeps and stores the water into soil and is released balanced and continuously to plant the terraced fields. the water sources covered everywhere here form the natural irrigation system.
In fact, it’s hard to figure out even to those ancestors here who came to this place first. how did they come to pick this place? now we can see the situation clearly as there are terraced fields. when there were no terraced fields long ago, how did the people know there were ever-lasting water? maybe they mastered methods that we do not know or maybe they lived herefor so long and cultivated many other fields like this. but just this place was found. so unique with functions now we find and that’s the reason they lived there.
Settled down as their homelands. the ages are too long to be inspected but whatever. we know this as a typical example that we human beings utilize the nature, live harmoniously with it, and move forward together. and now we hope you could go and see it once you have the chance. it is not only a wonder of human beings but the treasure that God give us.
Thank you very much for your watching and see you next time on Science and Education,
CCTV English Subtitles Translation: Hugo Lan
