A Study On Zhang Jian’s Enterprise Of Harnessing The Huaihe River

The Huaihe River is one of the most important rivers in China, which plays a critical role in the social and economic development of Jiang-Huai Region. This study analyzes Zhang Jian’s enterprise of harnessing the Huaihe River and summarizes his main thought and practice, which will help us understand his great contribution to the project of harnessing the Huaihe River and its modern transformation.This paper mainly illustrates four aspects, including the background, the basic thought, the practice and the assessment.Discharge of the Yellow River into the sea through the Huai River estuary led to floods of Huaihe River year after year. Yet the harnessing project didn’t work very well during Ming and Qing Dynasty. Deeply influenced by the thought and practice of those predecessors in harnessing the Huaihe River, Zhang Jian was determined to engage himself in this enterprise, in hope that he could improve the miserable living condition of people there. The basic thought of Zhang Jian in harnessing the Huaihe River includes the basic idea and design. His basic idea evolved from "dredging wholly into the sea" into "dredging into both river and sea". There was comprehensive consideration in his basic design of harnessing the Huaihe River, covering aspects like the regularization of water conservancy institution, the internationalization of employing talents, the diversification of raising money and the scientification of surveying and planning. After analyzing his basic thought in harnessing the Huaihe River, I think it mainly stemmed from the urgent social need of promoting benefit and reducing damage, the experiences and wisdom of the forerunners, and the adoption of Western advanced science and technology. Compared to the thought and plans of the USA Red Cross construction regiment and C. E. Freeman, Zhang Jian’s thought was characterized by innovation, feasibility, and comprehensiveness.According to his basic design, Zhang Jian actively put his plans into practice. Firstly, he advanced the construction of regional and national water conservancy institutions. He initiated to set up bureaus for dredging the Huaihe River and administrating water conservancy in the whole country. Secondly, he promoted the use and cultivation of relevant talents. He not only employed water conservancy experts from abroad, but also cultivated domestic talents. Thirdly, he raised the fund through various ways, either borrowing from foreign countries or raising from domestic society. Lastly, he measured the Huaihe River scientifically, made reasonable plans and administration for dredging the river, managed to conserve and dredge the water simultaneously.Zhang Jian has made great contribution to the project of harnessing the Huaihe River. Thanks to him, the society paid more attention to the undertaking of dredging the river. He also laid basic orientation for the harnessing project, and promoted the transformation of institute construction, talent use and scientific measurement in the system.By making an overall study on Zhang Jian’s enterprise of harnessing the Huaihe River, this article helps to form a comprehensive and systematic recognition of his enterprise, enrich relavant studies on his contribution to water conservancy, make up for the deficiency of related studies, as well as provide beneficial references for harnessing the Huaihe River in the contemporary world.