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The Grand Canal of China
At 1,794 km the Grand Canal (Da Yun He) is the world’s longest man-made
waterway, connecting the present cities Beijing and Hangzhou, which served as
dynastic capitals. Since most of China's major rivers flow from west to east,
the Grand Canal running north and south provides an important connector between
the Yangtze River valley and northern China, linking Haihe River, Yellow River,
Huaihe River, Yangtze River, and Qiantang River. The canal played a vital role
in the administration and defense of the country as a whole and formed the basis
of a unified economy.
Construction of the canal began in the 15th century B.C. (in the late Spring
and Autumn Period), and two large-scale expansion projects were launched in the
seventh century (the Sui period) and the 13th century (the Yuan period).
Building techniques were primitive and there was much suffering amongst the
peasant builders. According to legend, during the Sui Dynasty 6 million men were
conscripted and about half of them died of hard labour and hunger, which
contributed to the dynasty’s downfall.
The key
function of the canal these days is water diversion. The Beijing-Shanghai Railway and sophisticated road systems
have
marginalized the canal as an important means of transportation, although parts
of it, mainly the central and southern sections, are still in use.
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