An aerial view of the Laohuling Site Park. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

July 6 marked the sixth Hangzhou Liangzhu Day and the 10th anniversary of confirming the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City's vast outer hydraulic system — China's earliest known large-scale water and dam system that is millennia-old.

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, is closely identified with the Liangzhu culture — a late Neolithic civilization that thrived in the Yangtze River Delta around 5,000 years ago. That's because the renowned Liangzhu archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site showcasing a prehistoric rice-cultivating civilization, is located in Yuhang district of the city.

At the Laohuling Site Park — located within the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City — visitors explored displays recounting the construction and cultural value of Liangzhu's dam system, a key component of the site's World Heritage status.

Spanning over 100 square kilometers, the system includes high and low dams, dikes and natural floodways, embodying early urban water management and engineering.

Over the past decade, Liangzhu has pioneered integrated site preservation. The region has adopted systematic protection, supported by digital monitoring, a unified conservation blueprint and advanced scientific labs tackling humid-environment challenges.

Innovative public displays — like the visible dam cross-sections, AR museum guides, and the new Liangzhu VR immersive experience — are said to be making ancient heritage more tangible and engaging.

Internationally recognized for its scale and complexity, Liangzhu's water system is now considered a milestone in global hydraulic civilization.

Recent studies further trace China's State-level civilization back to the Liangzhu era, enriching the narrative of early urbanization and technological advancement in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The site of Shiwu dam. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]