The iconic Great Wall stretches across northern the Chinese mainland from Hushan in Shandong Province to Jiayuguan in Gansu Province.
Deep in the Chinese mainland’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, around the city of Turpan, an underground counterpart has earned a similar nickname: the karez, often called an underground "Great Wall."
This vast subterranean irrigation system surrounds Turpan and ensures a reliable water supply beneath the desert floor.
By carrying water through hidden tunnels, the karez protects precious resources from the desert above, supplying farms and communities on the surface.
For young global citizens and innovators, Turpan’s karez offers a low-tech example of sustainability in action—an ancient solution that resonates with today’s water challenges.
Travelers exploring the karez shafts find more than cool air and shadows: they discover a story of human ingenuity buried beneath one of the world’s driest landscapes.
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Underground 'Great Wall' ensures water supply in arid Turpan
cgtn.com
