In November 2019, the "List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Project Protection Units" was announced, and the Gaochang District Cultural Center in Turpan City was qualified as a protection unit for the "Karez Well Digging Technique" project. In the Turpan Basin, on the flat yellow-brown Gobi, there are strings of earthen mounds, most of which are no taller than one person. There is one every 20 to 30 meters, and there is no end at both ends. These seemingly mysterious scenes are the famous Karez in Turpan, Xinjiang. Karez is a special irrigation system with an ingenious structure. It consists of four parts: vertical wells, culverts, open channels and reservoirs. It uses the terrain of high north and low south to lead groundwater to the surface without power. Karez is mainly distributed in Turpan, Hami and other places. The total underground length is more than 5,000 kilometers, which is close to the total length of the Yellow River. It is one of the largest water conservancy irrigation systems in the world. Karez is an underground water conservancy project created by the working people in arid lands during the long historical development. Karez draws out groundwater, turning the desert into an oasis, and was called "well channel" in ancient times. The main working principle of the karez is that people use the natural slope of the mountain to divert a large amount of rainwater, glaciers and snowmelt that seeps into the ground in spring and summer to the surface for irrigation to meet the water needs of production and life in desert areas. The karez in different places have different regional characteristics in their specific structures, but generally speaking, a complete karez system includes four main components: vertical wells, underground channels, open channels (ground channels) and coarse water reservoirs. The flow of the karez operated under this principle is stable and can ensure gravity irrigation of the well water. The karez is the embodiment of the spirit of the Turpan people, represents the diligence and wisdom of the Turpan people, and is the symbol of Turpan. In the long process of historical development, the Karez, as a water cultural heritage of Turpan, has important cultural connotations and has become a milestone in the history of human civilization. It has not only become the emotional attachment of the local people, but also a bond connecting Turpan with the mainland. It is the mother river of Turpan, an important part of the well and canal culture of the Chinese nation, and an ingenious creation of the working people of all ethnic groups who have lived in Turpan for generations to transform and utilize nature. It can be said that without the Karez, there would be no Turpan, no unique national historical culture of the Karez, and no oasis civilization in Xinjiang. The Karez has witnessed the prosperity and development of the oasis and is a milestone in the history of oasis agriculture development in arid areas. The construction technology of the Karez is the most environmentally friendly. It causes less damage to the surface, less soil erosion, and protects the natural ecological environment. The Karez uses underground channels and vertical shafts to lead groundwater out of the ground, which not only reduces the evaporation of water on the ground, but also makes full use of groundwater. It is a model of the harmonious use of natural resources by the Uyghur people. In addition to agricultural irrigation and drinking, the Karez water also irrigates a large number of vegetation. Karez is also an important water source for oasis vegetation. Where the water of Karez flows, the greening area increases, the ecological environment is restored, the greening area of open channels, flood dams and grasslands is increased, and the regional microclimate is improved, thus promoting the benign development of the ecological environment in the small area. Therefore, Karez plays a vital role in the ecology of the oasis. Karez is not only a great water conservancy project but also a precious historical and cultural heritage. It is world-renowned and still provides us with water for survival and inexhaustible tourism resources. Karez attracts many domestic and foreign tourists with its unique and beautiful scenery, creating huge economic and social benefits. Especially today when the development of ecological civilization is emphasized, Karez has incomparable tourism development value. At present, there are 5 tourist attractions developed by Karez in Turpan, two of which are tourist attractions mainly based on Karez, both located in the rural areas of Turpan and Karez tourist attractions. According to statistics, in 2005, the tourist attractions in Turpan, mainly the Karez, received as many as 500,000 tourists, with tourism revenue exceeding 5 million yuan, becoming a new growth point for Turpan's tourism industry. In 2007, the number of tourists to the two Karez open to the public in Turpan reached nearly 1.27 million, accounting for 31.37% of the total number of tourists, and the tourism ticket revenue reached 14.68 million, accounting for 16% of the total tourism ticket revenue in the region. In 2006, the Karez became the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. The Karez not only enriched the tourism projects in Turpan, improved Turpan's status as a tourist city, but also promoted Turpan's economic development.