In 1676, he left his post as governor and was appointed director-general of river conservancy in response to the serious floods wreaking havoc in Jiangsu province. Along with grain transport to Beijing through the
Grand Canal and the
Revolt of the Three Feudatories, controlling the flow of the
Yellow River was among the three most critical issues facing the
Kangxi Emperor at the time. Jin's dispute with Yu over river control eventually became a flashpoint in the factional battles between
Mingju's "Northern Party" and the "Southern Party" led by court officials from Jiangsu. Accused by the censor Guo Xiu of forming a clique with Mingju and of obstructing Yu's attempt to deepen the river bed, Jin was dismissed and Chen Huang was sentenced to prison but died of illness. Although dismissed, he continued to supervise the construction of the Zhong He canal. Considered to be "one of the major engineering accomplishments of the Qing dynasty", it facilitated grain transport and greatly benefited the local people. Upon realizing Jin's accomplishment and his popular acclaim with the people, the emperor restored his official rank in 1689 and again appointed him Director General of River Conservancy in March 1692. In early September 1692, Jin fell ill in Yingze,
Henan and died in December of the same year. Buried with full honours, the Kangxi Emperor also bestowed him the posthumous name
Wénxiāng (文襄). The
Yongzheng Emperor later posthumously promoted Jin to the rank of president of the
Ministry of Works in 1727, ordered a temple to be built in his honour in 1729, and entered his name into the Temple of Eminent Statesmen the following year. ==Legacy==