As the top-ranked entry, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System stands out not merely as a miracle of engineering but as a 'living heritage.'

• Operating Across Millennia: Unlike ancient monuments such as the Egyptian pyramids that exist primarily for observation, Dujiangyan has been in continuous use since 256 BC. It currently sustains over 1.8 million acres (approx. 11 million mu) of farmland in the Chengdu Plain, an area dozens of times larger than its original capacity.
• Technical Brilliance: By masterfully utilizing the principle of 'dam-less water diversion,' its core components—the Fish Mouth, Feishayan, and Baopingkou—automatically regulate flow and sediment without any modern mechanical power. From the perspective of cost-effectiveness and operational longevity, it remains the most efficient and durable piece of public infrastructure in human history.