4,285-meter cliffside canal in Chongqing draws photographers, hikers

（ECNS） -- A 4,285-meter canal carved into a karst cliff in southwest China’s Chongqing has become a social media sensation, attracting photographers and hikers to Qianjin village in Wulong district.

Nearly 1,000 meters of the canal runs flush against a precipice hundreds of meters high, with spring water still trickling through its channels.

Villagers began hacking the waterway out of solid rock in 1999 using chisels and hammers, completing it three years later to bring water and electricity to mountain communities.

From lifeline to hiking destination

As modern irrigation improved, the canal’s role faded, but its dramatic setting has turned it into a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts.  

"The trickling sound of spring water runs on one side and a green canyon on the other. It was well worth the trip," said Liu Zhengchun, a hiking enthusiast from Chongqing, who came with friends after watching videos shared by bloggers on social media.

He noted that the narrowest section of the canal is barely wide enough for one person to pass by bending forward, and that the chisel marks left by the builders remain clearly visible on the rock face.

A waterfall near a hydropower station along the route has also become a highlight.

Builder-turned-guardian

Builder Li Wufeng, now in his 60s, continues to maintain the canal and volunteers as a safety monitor as visitor numbers grow. 

"In the past, I was basically the only person walking on the canal," Li said. "Now more and more young people come to explore, hike and take photos. On peak days, I can run into more than 200 visitors."

Local government eyes tourism development

As the site's popularity grows, authorities are paying increasing attention to outdoor safety and ecological protection. Local officials are planning a loop-shaped scenic area that integrates sightseeing, experiential activities and leisure, with supporting facilities including a parking structure, a visitor center, cliffside plank roads and a glass observation deck.

The goal is to give the cliffside canal, once a hard-won lifeline for a mountain village, a renewed purpose in the era of cultural tourism.