捷地减河闸坝工程历史变迁及原因探析

An Analysis of the Historical Changes and Causes of the Dam Construction in Jiedi River

捷地是南运河沿岸重要的水旱码头,其乡民的日常生活深受运河的影响。运河缺水则漕运不通,河水涨溢则祸害农田。明弘治三年(1490),为调节南运河水量,朝廷在捷地挑挖减河以宣泄南运河水,但捷地却因此而面临水患威胁。此后,由于南运河水源的复杂性以及僵化的封建专制制度等原因,捷地减河闸坝工程屡修屡废。最终,在高昂的维护成本的巨大压力下,漕运被海运所取代,而漕河与减河的功能也由航运转为输水。

Jiedi is an important port along the South Grand Canal and residents there have been deeply affected by the canal.When there is insufficient water in the canal,the river transportation will stop;when the canal is flooded,the surrounding fields will be drowned.In 1490,in order to regulate the quantity of water,the Ming government digs Jiedi River to discharge the water in the South Grand Canal,which brings about the threat of flood to residents in Jiedi.The later dam construction of Jiedi River fails due to the unclear origin of the river and the rigid feudal autocracy.Eventually,under the pressure of huge maintenance costs,river transportation is replaced by sea transportation and the function of the canal has changed from transportation to water conveyance.