Question

As soon as Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler who founded the Yuan Dynasty, chose a site for his capital city, he realized that he needed a hydraulic engineer. He found one in Guo Shoujing. What did Kublai need Guo to do for the city of Beijing?
He needed Guo to design a way to route water to Beijing, which had no natural waterways nearby.


He needed Guo to build windmills that could be used to ground large amounts of grain into flower.


He needed Guo to design a palace that would be grander than all of the Chinese emperors before him.


He needed Guo to build a dam that would hold back the large lake near Beijing, in case it flooded.

Answer 1

Answer:

He needed Guo to design a way to route water to Beijing, which had no natural waterways nearby.

Explanation:

The Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was a Mongol emperor which ruled the Mongol Empire at the height of its power, when it extended from the Pacific coast of Eastern Asia to Central Europe. The Kublai Khan conquered China and established the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, which ruled over it between 1271 and 1368. During this time, the capital of China was established at Khanbaliq, in what would later be known as the city of Beijing. The Kublai Khan dedicated themselves to enlarge it, building a series of large palaces and walls for his capital. The ruler figured out that creating a prosperous city was a necessity, and thus realized that he needed a hydraulic engineer in order to help building his capital. He found one in Guo Shoujing (1231-1316), who since his youth had already become a renowned engineer. The Kublai Khan sent Liu Bingzhong, one of his top architects, and Guo Shoujing to look for a way to route water to Beijing, which had no natural waterways nearby. After a thorough search, Guo came up with a project to build a 30 km long canal from the Baifu springs, in the Shenshan Mountains, to Beijing. This project, which included engineering feats such as a series of water sluices in order to control the flow of water, alleviated Beijing's water problems and provided enough of to irrigate the vast palace gardens. Guo would continue to serve as an engineer to the Kublai Khan and to his successors, and today he's celebrated as a renowned figure in the development of hydraulic engineering and astronomy in China.