The Grand Canal
At 1,800km (1,116 miles), the Grand Canal (Da Yunhe) is the longest canal in the world. Together with the Great Wall of China, this waterway, which runs from Beijing to Hangzhou, is one of China's great engineering feats. The first 85km (52 miles) were constructed as early as 495 B.C., but the Herculean task of linking the Yellow River and Yangzi River began in earnest in the early 7th century, when the second Sui dynasty Yang Di emperor had the waterway dug from his capital at Luoyang to Beijing in the north and to the Yangzi River basin. Due to the differences in terrain and water levels, locks and dams had to be built along the way.
The original purpose of the canal was to transport the plentiful grains of the affluent south to the poorer north, but over the course of the years, the canal became a major trade conduit as commodities such as tea, silk, porcelain, lacquerware, and salt were all shipped up north. By the time of the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368), the final stretch of the canal was completed, linking Beijing all the way to Hangzhou. Many of the bricks and stones used to build Beijing's temples and palaces arrived via the canal. By the time of the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), political power had shifted south to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as the Song emperors moved their capital to Hangzhou and the Ming emperors established themselves in Nanjing.
The canal only fell into disuse in the early 20th century, thanks to constant flooding from the Yellow River, silting, and the development of rail lines. Today, the navigable sections are primarily south of the Yangzi River in the region known as Jiangnan, which includes the cities of Wuxi, Yangzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. Even here, some sections are so shallow and narrow that they are accessible only to small, flat-bottomed boats. North of the Yangzi, much is silted up and impassable.
Tourists wanting to experience life on the canal can sail between Hangzhou and Suzhou and/or Wuxi. In Suzhou, canalboat passage can be booked at travel agencies or directly at the dock, Nan Men Lunchuan Keyun Matou, at Renmin Lu 8 (tel. 0512/6520-5720). Boats, which are bare-bones basic, depart from the Suzhou Boat Terminal daily at 5:30pm, arriving in Hangzhou at around 7am. The reverse voyage also departs Hangzhou at 5:30pm and gets into Suzhou at around 7am. Tickets either way cost the same and can be purchased in Hangzhou at the Wulin Men Keyun Matou (tel. 0571/8515-3185).
