Hydraulic Heritage and Community Identity: Examining Socio-Ecological Resilience and Heritage Transformation in Huaibei Area, China

This study investigates the interrelationships among socio-ecological resilience, identity construction, and hydraulic heritage, as well as their multifaceted impacts on local communities.
Using the Huaibei region in China as a case study, the research examines the historical consequences of the Yellow River’s artificial diversion into the Huai River during the Song Dynasty. This large-scale hydrological intervention, intended to protect the Jiangnan region, led to ecological fragility and agricultural decline in Huaibei, designating it as a sacrificial zone. The study focuses on the Xuzhou Xiangyang Irrigation System, constructed in the 1970s, which initially restored ecological balance and agricultural productivity in the Liuquan Town area through a network of 60 kilometres of interconnected facilities. Over time, as environmental resilience improved, the system’s primary irrigation functions diminished, leaving the facilities fragmented and integrated into the local cultural landscape.
The research employs an anthropological literature review, oral history, and participatory observation to trace the irrigation system's historical transformation and functional evolution. Semi-structured interviews, supplemented by on-site observation forms, were conducted to explore the local community's perceptions of the system, encompassing their understanding of its construction and functions, satisfaction with living in the heritage community, and acceptance of its transition toward tourism-oriented development.
The findings reveal significant variations in the community's narratives surrounding the hydraulic heritage, largely shaped by their levels of engagement and benefit from the heritage system. For some residents, the irrigation system's historical functions and cultural value foster a strong sense of identity, while others, lacking direct benefits or emotional ties, exhibit indifference.
This study concludes that hydraulic heritage in the Huaibei region has played a crucial role in reshaping socio-ecological resilience and now serves as a cultural landscape that provides tourism value. These dual contributions have established hydraulic heritage as a key element in creating community identity and an indispensable asset for sustainable regional development.