Beijing: An unconventional blend of ancient wisdom and modern ecology is reshaping how polluted water bodies are restored in China, and doing so at a fraction of the usual cost.
A research team from Shanghai Ocean University has developed an ecological water treatment model that draws inspiration from the diagnostic logic of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) while delivering measurable economic gains.
Instead of relying on chemical or heavy engineering solutions, the approach rebuilds entire aquatic ecosystems, allowing nature to do most of the work.
Led by Professor Wang Liqing, the team treats water bodies much like patients. The process begins with careful “diagnosis” — visual assessment, instrument-based monitoring, and analysis of water flow, pollution history and environmental change. Only after understanding the system as a whole do researchers prescribe targeted ecological interventions.
“The first step is always to cut off the pollution source,” Wang said. “After that, we reshape the underwater environment and introduce appropriate plants and fish to restore balance.”
Unlike conventional treatments that focus on isolated symptoms such as algae blooms or nutrient overload, Wang’s team designs complete ecological systems. Fish species in deeper zones help control algae and absorb excess nutrients, while submerged plants dominate shallower areas, filtering pollutants and stabilizing sediments.
A key breakthrough has been the cultivation of vallisneria, a submerged aquatic plant known for its strong purification ability. At the team’s Qingpu research base, scientists developed a resilient strain through 20 generations of selective breeding. The plant now supports two harvests a year and performs more efficiently under varying water conditions.
To support large-scale deployment, the team has also engineered specialized equipment, including aquatic plant wrapping machines and automated collection boats, enabling rapid planting and maintenance with minimal disturbance to ecosystems.
The economic implications are striking. Traditional water treatment projects typically cost between 0.2 and 0.5 yuan per ton. The ecological method reduces that figure to about 0.04 yuan per ton by relying on natural nutrient cycling rather than continuous mechanical or chemical intervention.
“Instead of removing pollutants and treating them as waste, we convert dissolved nutrients into usable biomass,” Wang explained. “Aquatic plants can be reused as fish feed or organic fertilizer, forming a sustainable loop.”
The model’s long-term stability has been demonstrated in projects such as Jinhai Lake in Shanghai’s Fengxian district, where the system has been operating since 2011. Water transparency there consistently reaches two meters, meeting Grade II or III quality standards while purifying nearly 100,000 metric tons of water daily.
In Zhujiajiao Water Town, ecological buffer zones have helped improve transparency from less than half a meter to over 1.5 meters, enhancing both environmental health and tourism appeal.
So far, the methodology has been applied in more than 700 projects across 23 provinces and cities, restoring around 90 square kilometers of water, an area comparable to 15 West Lakes.
“Our goal goes beyond cleaning water,” Wang said. “We want to build self-sustaining ecosystems that support human activity while delivering long-term environmental and economic value.”
As cities across China grapple with rising treatment costs and ecological degradation, the Shanghai team’s nature-based solution is gaining attention as a scalable, low-cost alternative, proving that sometimes, the most advanced technologies are rooted in ancient ways of thinking.
