Chongqing - In an unexpected collaboration spanning thousands of miles, the Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and the Nilometre in Egypt have joined forces to bid for UNESCO World Heritage status. These two globally acclaimed hydrological heritage sites have embarked on a shared journey, seeking recognition for their historical and cultural significance.

Baiheliang, situated in the Yangtze River north of Fuling District, is a natural stone beam measuring 1,600 meters long and approximately 15 meters wide. Millennia ago, ancient people used a pair of stone fish on the stone beam to record fluctuations in the water level during the dry period of the Yangtze River, providing crucial guidance for agricultural practices.

The Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Photo/Fuling District)

In North Africa, Egypt is one of the earliest regions in the world to engage in water level observations. Locals devised the Nilometre to measure the Nile River's water level, accumulating over 1300 years of hydrological data.

The Nilometre in Egypt. (Photo/Fuling District)

The idea of a joint UNESCO World Heritage application emerged in 2022 when experts recognized that China and Egypt possessed tangible remnants of ancient water level observations, making the collaboration between Baiheliang and Nilometre particularly compelling.

To solidify the feasibility of this joint heritage application, Fuling District and relevant departments organized numerous academic seminars, inviting international and domestic experts to delve into the significance and value of hydrological sites. The consensus was reached to designate the joint application targets as the Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription and the Nilometre stone inscription located on Rhoda Island in the center of Cairo, Egypt.

"In the comparative study for Baiheliang's bid, we once used the Nilometre as a benchmark. Now, we are partners in this effort," said Xing Jun, a member of the Party Committee and deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development.

In May of this year, with the support of the Chinese Consulate-General in Alexandria, Yang Ronghao, Cultural Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and Director of the China Cultural Center in Cairo and Yang Yi, Consul General of China in Alexandria, met with Islam Salem, Director of the Underwater Archaeology Center in Alexandria. In Islam Salem's office, the two sides agreed on cooperation in a joint underwater archaeological excavation.

The Chongqing delegation then conducted on-site inspections of four Nilometre sites. Yang Bangde, director of the Chongqing Baiheliang Underwater Museum, said, "Although Baiheliang is a dry water inscription, it shares a similar concept with Nilometre." The exposure of stone fish inscriptions signals the end of the dry water cycle, heralding a year of abundant harvest with ample rainfall.

"This visit has given me more confidence in the joint heritage application." Yang Bangde said there has never been a joint heritage application by countries located on two continents that are not geographically connected. "It is precisely because there has never been such a practice that we are looking forward to setting a precedent around the world."

The joint heritage application is progressing steadily, with professional organizations being selected to compile the joint application text. The aim is to complete the preparation work by 2024.

As the river basins carry the genes of human civilization, the Yellow River, Yangtze River Basin, and Nile River Basin have nurtured the Chinese and ancient Egyptian civilizations, respectively. 

Both civilizations have their own characteristics and have made great contributions to the progress of human civilization. Looking back at history, the ancient Silk Road linked the two ancient civilizations of China and Egypt more than 2,000 years ago. Nowadays, the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has injected new impetus into the cooperation between China and Egypt.

"We want to show the world a comprehensive and authentic ancient and modern China through the UNESCO bid, further deepening civilization exchanges and mutual understanding," concluded Xing Jun.

(Cheng Jialu, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)