The qanats of Xinjiang:historical development, characteristics and modern implications for environmental protection

In China,qanats(kan’erjing/karez)exist only in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region,being one form of traditional irrigation technology that made great contributions to oasis civilizations.There are different opinions on the origin and date of the qanats in Xinjiang due to a lack of adequate evidences.And uncontrolled over-exploitation of groundwater by pumping wells,as well as the expansion of surface water interventions nowadays,has caused serious impacts on not only the qanats,but also local ecological environments.There exist long-time arguments on whether the qanats should be restored or preserved.This study aimed to examine the historical development, geological conditions and characteristics,and modern implications of the qanats for oasis environmental protection, and to discuss the initiatives taken by local governments.The whole Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was included as the study area,with a specific focus on Turpan prefecture.The materials and data were obtained from literature review and governmental documentation.Based on a systematic examination of three prevailing theories on the origination of Xinjiang’s qanats,it is suggested modern archaeological techniques could be good solutions to explore the origination in addition to historical records used normally.Although qanats fail to fully meet today’s enormous water demands,their rich historical,cultural,ecological and environmental implications in arid areas should not be underestimated.As a cultural heritage and ecologically-friendly engineering creation,qanat systems shall be kept in good condition and function by a valuable number.Recent initiatives to protect and restore target qanat systems in Xinjiang could provide positive examples for the practices in other regions of the world where the protection and restoration of qanats or similar technologies are desired.     

伊朗喀山与我国新疆吐鲁番坎儿井对比研究

坎儿井是一种古老的地下水利灌溉工程,在全球都有广泛分布,是目前仍在延续利用的活的文化遗产。本文以伊朗喀山坎儿井与我国新疆吐鲁番坎儿井为研究对象,对比二者在称谓、起源方面的不同之处,并重点对二者在寻定母井位置、确定竖井间隔高度及深度和暗渠挖掘定向等方面的不同修筑方法进行了分析,最后重点针对现代机井过度利用地下水资源导致坎儿井濒危的问题展开具体讨论,从水权管理制度等方面进行了论证。