File:曹公圳舊圳頭（高雄大寮）.jpg

English: Caogong Canal was built in 1837 during the reign of a local governor in Fongshan, Cao Jin, out of consideration for the locals’ dependence on the sporadic supply of rain. It was also a state-heralded hydraulic engineering project of the biggest scale in the Qing Dynasty at the time. The project was conducted over two phases, hence the division of the Old Canal and New Canal, covering a network of 90 canal routes spanning Kaohsiung and Fongshan, and providing irrigation for 4,582.5 Jia (1 Jia = approx. 0.96992 hectare), the most important farmland irrigation system in greater Kaohsiung at the time. The water supply was sourced from today’s Gaoping River and the water gate, constructed by the stone-stacking method, marked the source end of Caogong Canal. During the Japanese rule, the Canal also went through renovations before settling into its current appearance as seen today. Presently, the water gate and the memorial stone tablet are both in good condition, forming cultural icons whereby the pioneering forefathers could be remembered and the dialogue between the land and rivers can take place.