“千里长堤”是清代在河北平原中部兴修的一项重要水利工程,始于康熙三十七年(1698年),主体形成于乾隆年间,并持续修缮讫于清末,至民国年间逐渐解体。在长堤修筑过程中,既有朝廷发帑修筑的官堤,也有劝用民力兴建的民埝,“千里长堤”的修筑方式既有“民堤官修”,也有“官堤民修”。清代初期,朝廷借助发帑等方式积极介入地方社会事务。一旦长堤修筑完毕,维护成为常态后,国家将维护修缮权力交由地方政府,最终由地方士绅总领其事,民间乡绅遂由公共事务权力的执行者变为执掌者,伴随着权力上升的是清末民初浩大的地方自治运动。
The "Qianli embankment" is an important water conservancy project in the middle of the He- bei plain in the Qing Dynasty. It holds an idea that the "Qianli riverbank" was first built in thirty--sev- en years of Kangxi (1698 AD), mainly finished in Qianlong, constantly maintained till the end of Qing Dynasty, finally broke up in the early days of the Republic of China. The "Qianli embankment" conclu- ded dikes built by central government and civil society. The government intervened in local society through financial payment in early days of Qing Dynasty. Once finished, central government would transfer social power to local government, finally to local gentry, which made squire wield social power, also led to local self-government movement in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.