Red Flag Canal
Encyclopedia
The Red Flag Canal is an irrigation canal located 80 km northwest of Anyang
in the northern extremity in Henan
, China
.
and Shanxi
. The canal diverts water from the Zhang River
(漳河) into a canal
. The Zhang River flows from Shanxi and becomes the border between Hebei and Henan near to Handan
. The dam is located near the corner of the three provinces. The canal winds around the side of a cliff, through 42 tunnels and along the side of the Taihang Mountains
. The main canal is 71 kilometres long with many branches to distribute the water.
and was built in the 1960's and the main channel was completed in 1965. It was dug entirely by hand labour. The canal is 71 kilometers long, including the distribution branches, the irrigation system is claimed to have a total length of 1500 meters.(includes photo).
It irrigates the fields of the Linzhou
district.
The Red Flag Canal was considered to be a famous achievement of the Chinese workers in the 1960s and was the subject of several movies. The Red Flag Canal was featured in propaganda both internal and external to China, as an exemplar of what diligent workers could achieve and local mass initiative.
Linzhou (then called Linxian) and the Red Flag Canal were visited by the Italian film director Michelangelo Antonioni
when he made his film Chung Kuo, Cina
documentary about China during the Cultural Revolution in 1972.
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
in the northern extremity in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Geographic Location
Close to the border of HebeiHebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
and Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
. The canal diverts water from the Zhang River
Zhang River
The Zhang River is a river in China. The Zhang River commences in Shanxi province and flows eastward. It then becomes the border of Hebei and Henan province west of Handan and Anyang.A dam on the Zhang River diverts water into the Red Flag Canal....
(漳河) into a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
. The Zhang River flows from Shanxi and becomes the border between Hebei and Henan near to Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
. The dam is located near the corner of the three provinces. The canal winds around the side of a cliff, through 42 tunnels and along the side of the Taihang Mountains
Taihang Mountains
The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. The range extends over 400 km from north to south and has an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The principal peak is Xiao Wutaishan...
. The main canal is 71 kilometres long with many branches to distribute the water.
History
The canal was initiated during the Great Leap ForwardGreat Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward of the People's Republic of China was an economic and social campaign of the Communist Party of China , reflected in planning decisions from 1958 to 1961, which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern...
and was built in the 1960's and the main channel was completed in 1965. It was dug entirely by hand labour. The canal is 71 kilometers long, including the distribution branches, the irrigation system is claimed to have a total length of 1500 meters.(includes photo).
It irrigates the fields of the Linzhou
Linzhou City
Linzhou , formerly Lin County , is a county level city in Anyang, Henan, China. Adjacent to Shanxi Province and Hebei Province, it is located in the north of Henan Province and at the eastern foot of the Taihang Mountains...
district.
The Red Flag Canal was considered to be a famous achievement of the Chinese workers in the 1960s and was the subject of several movies. The Red Flag Canal was featured in propaganda both internal and external to China, as an exemplar of what diligent workers could achieve and local mass initiative.
Linzhou (then called Linxian) and the Red Flag Canal were visited by the Italian film director Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian modernist film director, screenwriter, editor and short story writer.- Personal life :...
when he made his film Chung Kuo, Cina
Chung Kuo, Cina
Chung Kuo, Cina is an Italian Documentary directed by Michelangelo Antonioni in 1972. It focuses primarily on the lives of working class Han Chinese during this time period.-Plot:...
documentary about China during the Cultural Revolution in 1972.