Grand Canal


The Grand Canal of China, also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal  is the longest
ancient canal or artificial river in the world. Starting at Beijing it passes through Tianjin and
the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the city of Hangzhou. The oldest
parts of the canal date back to the 5th century BC, although the various sections were finally
combined into one during the Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD).

The canal we see today was built section by section in different areas and dynasties before
it was linked together by the Sui Dynasty (581-618). In 604 AD, Emperor Yangdi of the Sui
Dynasty toured Luoyang (now the city in Henan Province). The following year, he moved the
capital to Luoyang and ordered a large-scale expansion of the Grand Canal. The primitive

building techniques stretched the project over six years. Approximately half the peasant builders (about 3,000,000) died of hard labor and hunger
before it was finished. This project was thought to have been wasteful of manpower and money, which resulted in the downfall of the Sui Dynasty.

The Grand Canal, 1,764 km (about 1200 miles) in length, is the longest man-made waterway as well as being the greatest in ancient China. Now
more than 2000 years old, some parts of the canal are still in use, mainly functioning as a water-diversion conduit.

As a major transportation hinge in past dynasties, the Grand Canal interconnected the Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe, Haihe, and Qiantang Rivers and
flowed through Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang with Hangzhou at its southernmost end. The Grand Canal, which joined
the river systems from different directions, offered much facility to transport foods and goods from south to north in past times. Just as importantly,
it greatly improved the administration and defense of China as a whole and strengthened economic and cultural intercourse between north and
south.

Boating on the old Chinese Canal is one of the best ways to get a panoramic view of the landscape of
typical river towns in southern China, which include ancient dwellings, stone bridges of traditional
designs and historical relics. Experiencing some of the local customs offers much delight to travelers.
Tourists also have an opportunity to enjoy good food while appreciating the surrounding scenery.