Abstract:Small and medium-sized river heritage is a flowing living heritage. The core issue of its protection and revival is how to balance the living heritage and development of river heritage, and seek the symbiosis of the two. Based on “living heritage” and “symbiosis theory”, this study puts forward a strategic framework of “living symbiosis” suitable for the protection and revival of small and medium-sized river heritage, and takes the Ling Canal in Guilin , the world irrigation engineering heritage, as a case study. By identifying the four evolution stages of morphology and historical function of the Ling Canal, the characteristics of its living changes and its symbiosis with cities, communities, agriculture and tourism are obtained. Finally, based on the perspective of living symbiosis, the paper summarizes the experience of the protection and revival of the Ling Canal from the four dimensions of space, time, function and culture, which can provide enlightenment for the protection and revival of small and medium-sized river heritage.