A seminar on the joint inscription of the Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription in Southwest China's Chongqing and the Nilometers in Egypt for the world heritage was held in Cairo on May 16, 2024. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)

A seminar on the joint inscription of the Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription in Southwest China's Chongqing and the Nilometers in Egypt for the world heritage was held in Cairo on May 16.

Baiheliang, literally the "White Crane Ridge," is a 1,600-meter-long and 15-meter-wide stone ridge engraved with inscriptions about the Yangtze River dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It recorded the 72 low-flow years of the longest river in China from 763 to 1963 and is claimed to be the world's oldest hydrographic survey device.

Likewise, for thousands of years, Nilometers measured the water level of the Nile River during the annual flood season and were used to predict the fortunes of the annual harvest and the prices of foodstuffs.

The Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription in Southwest China's Chongqing (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)

China and Egypt are the only countries in the world that still have preserved physical relics of hydrological heritage. The Baiheliang and the Nilometers reflect how different agricultural civilizations of Asia and Africa relate to their respective river resources.

This joint inscription for the world heritage status not only fills the current gap in the World Heritage List regarding hydrological heritage but also helps enhance mutual understanding of the civilizations in China and Egypt, strengthening cultural exchanges among countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Nilometers in Egypt (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)

During the seminar, Jiang Rui, deputy curator of the Baiheliang Underwater Museum in Chongqing, and Ahmed Rehema, underwater archaeologist of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt, introduced basic information about the Baiheliang and the Nilometers. They provided detailed explanations from historical, scientific, and artistic perspectives.

Experts from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and universities such as Cairo University and Helwan University in Egypt, as well as departments and institutions including the Culture and Tourism Commission in Fuling district of Chongqing, conducted in-depth discussions on the joint inscription.

Relevant officials from the Supreme Council of Antiquities said that Egypt will soon establish a special task force to fully promote the joint inscription effort, aiming to achieve substantial progress as quickly as possible.

(Xinhua also contributed to this report)