There are two wonders in China: the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. The canal has always been regarded as the pride of the Chinese people and a symbol of cultural achievement for its size and grandeur. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is of great historical and cultural importance and is the longest artificial river in the world.

History

The Grand Canal is 1,300 years old with its eldest part dating back to 5th century BC. It’s also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, which appropriately starts in Beijing and ends in Hangzhou. The Grand Canal passes through Tianjin city and Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. It links China’s two longest rivers, the Yellow River and Yangtze River. The total length of the Grand Canal is 1,794 kilometers and took 1,799 years to form its current shape and size.

The Grand Canal was first dug to transport grain and luxuries to Beijing. Merchants later began to ship commodities along the canal, further developing the corridor into a prosperous economic belt. The canal also was a powerful force for unifying Chinese culture and integrating Chinese politics. Foreign visitors often called the canal the Emperor’s River because of its strong connection with numerous Chinese emperors. In Chinese history, many emperors from different dynasties in the north had shipping routes along the Grand Canal to Southern China. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi and Qianlong emperors made twelve trips to the south.

The Grand Canal’s significant role in China’s culture, economy and politics has awarded it the title of “the gallery of Chinese history, ancient technology, and local customs.”