Major gathering

In the latest nod to the canal's heritage, Inland Waterways International's president, Rudy Van der Ween, announced in late October that Guilin and its Lingqu museum would host the 2026 World Canals Conference.

"A World Canals Conference is the opportunity to bring together hundreds of canal enthusiasts, professionals and scholars from around the world, to exchange good practices on canals, including the protection of historic canals or features, revitalization of canal systems, harbor sites, canal trails and amenities; the presentation or interpretation of canals and corridors — their history and various elements; canals as a means to promote tourism, spur economic development and urban renewal," Van der Ween said.

"The World Canals Conference offers seminars and exhibits to participants on everything from how to interpret a canal site or trail, to the engineering and technical challenges of reopening or maintaining a canal. Recent presentations have included consultant experience for new initiatives, the advantages of turning towpaths into trails, taking a canal from being the back door of a community to becoming the front door, dealing with masonry structures, and interpretive techniques," he said.

Lu Yaoru, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and honorary advisor to the Xing'an Lingqu research institute, said the sustainable development of the canal requires policies and measures to ensure the rational use and protection of its water and land resources.

He said it was also necessary to improve the service level and quality of attractions, to create a more complete tourism system through scenic spots that reflect Lingqu's heritage.

"Lingqu is a great project that belongs to the Chinese people and the people of the world. As it continues to benefit all of us, we should have it play a greater leading and exemplary role in ecological civilization," Lu said.

Lingqu's "great aesthetic value "also offers a "typical example of Chinese ancient canal landscapes", forming scenes of bucolic beauty that "perfectly blended the waterways with its surrounding environment to present a picture of harmony between nature and Chinese farming tradition", according to its UNESCO citation.

The canal's cultural traditions are kept alive by residents, such as painter Zeng Jinglan, who set up a studio right next to the waterway.

Zeng, 67, has taken part in exhibitions and exchanges worldwide but returns to her roots in Xing'an, painting the flora and fauna that thrive along Lingqu.

"I've always been drawn to the grass, flowers and birds, right here at home," Zeng said.

"I once also wrote a poem about the beautiful environment here. I was abroad then and when I came back, it was exactly how I had imagined it to be."

Zeng has more than 100 students, ranging in age from 4 to older than 50, sharing Lingqu's cultural and artistic traditions with them.

At the Xing'an No. 2 Primary School nearby, 12-year-old Jiang Xuan has also been doing her part to help those traditions survive and thrive.

Jiang has been spending much of her co-curricular activities as a young docent introducing Lingqu's heritage and culture to visitors.

"I live just 5 km from here and often practice my guzheng (Chinese zither) by the water," Jiang said. "Lingqu is very close to us."

Her principal, Lei Miao, said the school conducts regular classes on Lingqu's fascinating history and heritage, such as on classical poems extolling its beauty and importance, to ensure that future generations understand the depth of its links with the community.

"There's a small library dedicated to Lingqu heritage. We've also introduced textbooks on Lingqu as part of the curriculum, with the students helping with the illustrations," Lei said.

"Lingqu belongs to all of us."