Amid the vast currents of history, one ancient hydraulic project has withstood the erosion of time and continues to nourish the land to this day. This is Anfeng Pond, located in Shou County, Huainan, hailed as “the first pond in the world.” This prestigious title derives not only from its renowned status as one of the Four Great Ancient Water Conservancy Projects of China, but also from the enduring legacy of civilization and timeless wisdom it represents.

During the reign of King Zhuang of Chu, the Prime Minister Sun Shuao, after assessing the droughts and floods in the farmlands surrounding Shouchun and examining the water sources of the Dabie Mountain, mobilized manpower to undertake an ambitious water conservancy endeavor. In the vast rectangular plain east of the Pihe River, west of Wabu Lake, north of Xiangu Mound, and south of Laomiao Market, he built dikes and excavated an artificial lake covering approximately 120 square kilometers.

At that time, a pavilion named Baishao stood within the reservoir area, hence the lake was initially called Quebei. The completion of Quebei brought not only stable harvests for local farmers but also played a critical role in promoting the Chu state’s economic prosperity and supporting military supply through agricultural colonization. By the Eastern Jin dynasty, with the establishment of Anfeng County in this region, the reservoir was renamed Anfeng Pond.

The true greatness of Anfeng Pond lies in the foresight and ingenuity of its engineering. The water system was designed to harness natural elevation differences and skillfully integrate rivers, ponds, and canals to form a large-scale, flexible irrigation network capable of both draining and storing water. At the time of its construction, the pond covered 85 square kilometers with a perimeter of 65 kilometers, an extraordinary scale that was rare even by global standards of the era.