Ganzhou is located in the southern part of Jiangxi Province, in a tropical monsoon climate zone. Every summer, this place often experiences heavy rains, waterlogging, and flooding. According to legend, the city has a blessed land area of 3 million square meters. Locals say that as long as you live in this blessed land, you will never encounter floods.
Diagram of Phu Tho Cau underground drainage system in the heart of Cam Chau city. ( Photo: Sina )
In 1998, southern China was hit by a massive flood. Jiangxi was one of the worst-hit provinces. However, the area within the Ganzhou Sanctuary was only slightly affected. On July 3, 2009, floods hit Ganzhou, destroying 182 villages in the city, affecting 1.4 million people, and collapsing 36,000 houses, but the devastating flood did not reach the Sanctuary.
The locals here believe in the legend that Cam Chau has a divine turtle guarding it, protecting it for a thousand years of peace. In fact, what has kept Cam Chau from flooding for a thousand years is an underground sewer system built during the Northern Song Dynasty called Phuc Tho Cau.
Phuc Tho Cau started construction in 1068, built of stone, divided into two parts: Phuc Cau is the drainage system in the south, 11.6 km long; Tho Cau in the northwest, 1 km long. The whole system has 12 drainage gates connecting to Cam River, Cong River and all lakes and ponds in the city.
Phuc Tho Cau Sewer Museum. ( Photo: Xinhua )
Every time it rains, the river water rises to the 12 drainage gates of Phu Tho Cau, which will use the water to automatically lock the gates to prevent river water from overflowing into the city. Rainwater inside the city will flow into the reservoirs. When it stops raining and the river water level drops, the water force of Phuc Tho Cau will open the sluice gates to let water from the reservoirs flow into the river.
Phuc Tho Cau has been built for nearly 1,000 years. Due to many reasons, the sewer system has been shortened to only 4.5 km. However, it still serves as a drainage system for nearly 100,000 households living in the old quarter of Cam Chau city; at the same time, it has become a famous historical relic of the city.
HONG PHUC (Source: Pear/Sina)
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