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16 CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 17 LIFE | GRAND CANAL

Masterminds of milestones Flowing prosperity CULTURAL CONNOTATIONS

More than 400 items found Sui Dynasty (581-618) Emperor Yang ordered a along the Grand Canal have In 486 BC, Han Gou, in massive canal project from AD 605 to 610 centered been inscribed on the list of today’s Jiangsu province, on , in today’s Henan province, as the national-level intangible was constructed following “eastern capital” of his united empire. The 2,400-km cultural heritage, including folk orders by Fuchai, a king of canal links Zhuojun, near today’s Beijing, and TIANJIN arts, handicrafts and local the Wu State during the Hangzhou, which is now Zhejiang’s provincial capital. beliefs. Tianjin’s Yangliuqing Spring and Autumn Period Although the canal was originally built to consolidate Lunar New Year woodcut (770-476 BC), to connect the his control over the northeast and southeast of his paintings are a representative Yangtze and Huaihe rivers. territory, the project’s expense undermined the ruler, example. Subsequent monarchs who indulged in luxury and accelerated the dynasty’s (1368-1644) artisans created continued digging canals to fall. Nevertheless, his canal remained pivotal to this renowned art form using make full use of waterways, transportation during the Tang (618-907) and fine paper and dyes shipped advance transportation and Northern Song (960-1127) dynasties. from the south. enhance national stability.

The canal in eastern Zhejiang, which was first SUPERVISING constructed in AD 300, was expanded during SHIPMENTS the Southern (1127-1279). Linqing Jurchen people ruled northern China in the An “encryption system” was developed Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). Song royals during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to relocated the capital to Hangzhou during prevent corruption and ensure the the Southern Song. As north-south quality of grain sent to Beijing from the transportation via the waterway was south. Each “signature” on a folding fan cut off, a canal connecting Hangzhou represented an agency in charge of

r and Ningbo in Zhejiang was e inspecting the cargo arriving in the i v dredged and became a lifeline R capital. Signatures were also placed on w Jining o for the Southern Song. l the bags of grain, like seals. Supervisory l e Y officials could look at the fans to know SAGA which agency should be punished if any The canal, and its LUOYANG problems were discovered. northern section in particular, declined in the late Qing Dynasty due to Zhengzhou expanded Huai’an SECURING SUSTENANCE transportation by sea and railway. The The Huiluo Barns’ ruins near Luoyang, Henan province, position of canal GRAND CANAL which is listed among the World Heritage sites, offers a governor was glimpse of how grain from southeastern China that was nullified in 1905. The 3,200-kilometer Grand Canal dates back nearly transported along the Grand Canal was stored and managed by the central government during the Sui Dynasty (581-618). 2,500 years. It passes through eight provinces and Yangzhou The silo complex was like a small city — about 1 kilometer Zhenjiang from east to west and 355 meters from south to north — municipalities. In 2014, 27 sections of the canal, whose size equaled roughly 50 soccer fields. totaling 1,011 km, and 58 relevant heritage sites gained UNESCO World Heritage status.

MANAGING MOVEMENT FUNDING

e r A NATION v i There were complicated systems and rigid regulations of R e t z shipments’ time and distance. A cargo fleet usually contained g The Grand Canal was n 30 ships, and each fleet had its own flag. During the Ming a closely interlinked with

Y HANGZHOU Dynasty (1368-1644), the central government owned over ancient China’s tax 16,000 ships for transportation along the canal. system, as grain paid as tax was transported to Qing Dynasty the capital via the (1644-1911) emperor 50 ELEVATION MAP waterway. A portion of Qianlong (1711-99) 45 officials’ salaries was Ningbo 40 toured the region south paid in grain. In 1411, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) 35 of the Yangtze along the Main sections of the canal official Song Li joined hands with Bai 30 Grand Canal six times, Ying, an experienced artisan in 25 not only bringing back Shandong province, to dredge the 20 key elements of Tonghui Canal Yongji Canal Tongji Canal Huitong Canal meters highest canal section to enable the 15 meters gardening styles to waterway to continue to flow in the AD 1293 AD 608 AD 605 AD 1289 10 design of his imperial following centuries. In 1451, the (including today’s 5 resorts in Beijing but position of canal governor was Northern Canal, 0 also leaving many folk established. The governor took Southern Canal, -5 legends along the route. charge of the watercourse along and Wei Canal) -10 Peking Opera and with military commanders. Peking roast duck are Beijing Tianjin Linqing Yellow Nanwang Yangtze Wujin Hangzhou During the (1271-1368), ’s canal construc- River River believed to be tion from 1281 to 1293 shortened the distance between Beijing, the introduced to Beijing national capital, then known as Dadu, and Hangzhou to 1,794 km. It was Middle Canal Han Gou Jiangnan Canal East Zhejiang To ensure continuous water supplies, many ancient infrastructure projects were built to direct water from nearby rivers into the canal. For example, in Beijing, where no natural river was available, from the south following hailed as symbol of national reunification. A major project was Beijing’s (Ming Dynasty) (Huaiyang Canal) AD 610 Canal springwater from the city’s western outskirt was redirected to downtown, and 24 sluices were built during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) to reserve water for the canal. These dams still function today. the emperor’s tours. Tonghui Canal, led by engineer and astronomer Shoujing, which (first constructed (first constructed During the Ming Dynasty, Song Li and Bai Ying built 38 sluices around Nanwang, a town in Shandong province, which is the highest point along the canal, to enable ships to “climb over” the ridge. was crucial to food security. Downtown Beijing’s Shichahai Lake in 486 BC and around AD 300 and became the canal’s northern terminus. expanded in AD 605) Sources: National Museum of China, National Cultural Heritage The canal logistically benefited the improved during the TEXT BY WANG KAIHAO & GRAPHICS BY MUKESH MOHANAN / CHINA DAILY Administration and Encyclopedia of China Publishing House Forbidden City’s construction in Beijing early Southern from 1406 to 1420. Quality bricks were Song Dynasty) Online shipped from Shandong and Jiangsu See more provinces to build the imperial city. by scanning the code. Online Scan the QR code for subscription or to get a copy of today’s paper.