The Grand Canal of
China
(Jing-Hang) Da Yun He/（京杭）大运河
At 1,794 km the Grand Canal (Da Yun He) is the
world's longest man-made waterway, connecting the present cities of
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 Grand 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 Grand 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, mainly for the transportation of coal and
building materials. Efforts have been underway by various local
governments to turn the Grand Canal into a major tourist attraction in
their region. Preparations have also been made, under the supervision of
the State Tourism Administration, to obtain the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage Site status.
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