Hefangzhi 河防志

Hefangzhi 河防志 "A Treatise on River Conservancy" is a book on water conservancy written by the Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Zhang Xiliang 張希良, courtesy name Shihong 石虹. He hailed from Huang'an 黄安, Hubei, and was junior compiler (bianxiu 編修) at the Hanlin Academy 翰林院 and participated in the compilation of the annals Sanchao guoshi 三朝國史 (the history of the reign of the emperors Taizu 清太祖 or Nurhaci, Taizong 清太宗 or Hong Taiji, and Shizu 世祖) and was finally provincial education commissioner (duxue 督學) of Zhejiang.

The 12-juan long book was written when Zhang Shiliang accompanied Zhang Penghe 張鵬翮 (1649-1725), Director-general of the Grand Canal (hedao zongdu 河道總督), to oversee the dyke and dam constructions at the Yellow River and River Huai. It was finished in 1725 and concretely describes the various works to control the waters of these two rivers that were linked by the Grand Canal. The descriptions included techniques of water engineering as well as the hard work of the peasants recruited to do this hard work.

The book is to be found in the reprint series Zhongguo shuili yaoji congbian 中國水利要籍叢編.