In July 1952, three identical stone monuments rose at key junctions along the Yangtze River: the Shashi Embankment, the North Sluice in Buhe, and the South Sluice at Huangshantou. These structures commemorate a massive engineering feat. Over seventy-five days, from April to June 1952, a force of three hundred thousand people—one hundred thousand soldiers and two hundred thousand civilian laborers—reshaped the landscape to tame the historic floods of the Jianghan Plain.

Each monument stands thirteen meters tall, built of solid, rough-hewn granite in a traditional pagoda style. The stone surfaces carry the physical history of this monumental effort. On the south face, Mao Zedong’s brushstrokes urge victory for the project. On the north, Zhou Enlai’s inscription calls for rivers to benefit the people. The east face bears a classical verse by Deng Zihui, while the west preserves a historical record by commanders Li Xiannian and Tang Tianji. Above these inscriptions, white marble peace doves encircle a red star column, catching the river breeze.

Human presence is etched directly into the stone. Below the inscriptions, a cool white marble bas-relief depicts the laborers. Among them is Xin Zhiying, the "Jingjiang Iron Woman," captured mid-motion with her hoe. Nearby, symmetrical twin hexagonal pavilions stand with red walls and green glazed tiles. Inside, marble steles preserve the names of nine hundred twenty-eight labor heroes.

The roar of the diverted Yangtze rushing through the gates validated the labor of the three hundred thousand builders. Today, these protected national relics stand as quiet sentinels, marking the transition of the river from a source of constant danger to a place of enduring peace.