In the Hexi Corridor, as China’s major irrigation farming zone in an arid region, water management has always been one of the most important government functions since ancient times. By investigating the role of government in Hexi Corridor water management from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, from the Late Qing Dynasty to the Republican period, and into the PRC, the government’s level of involvement in water management reveals a “total involvementselective involvementreturn to total involvement” pattern of historical progression. In each historical period, the government constantly viewed water management as a key component of social management in the arid region, and the status of irrigation management in the reformation and control of society post1949 was further strengthened, as the PRC no longer abided by the logic of its predecessors in the pursuit of minimizing the cost of water management. Instead of other social institutions, the government is forever the main player in the contest for water in the arid region, and government behavior has long impacted on the motivation, method, and effectivity in arid region water management.

water management; the Hexi Corridor; arid region; government’s function; longduration