InthesouthernpartofChina,duetotherichrainfallsandfavourablytopographicallandscape,thereisabundanthydraulicenergyresourcescontainedinthecountlesssmallstreamsandriversinthemountainousandsemi-mountainousareas.Besidesthesmallhydropowergenerationwhichtransfersthepotentialenergytotheelectricalpower,thereisothertechnologyavailabletoutilisethepotentialenergydirectlyforthewaterliftingintheirrigationanddecentraliseddo-mesticwatersupplyinthevillagelevel.Thispaperintroducesthebasicprincipleofthehydraulicramop-erationanddescribestheapplicableopportunitiesforthehydraulicram.