3Map of the Grand Canal
Liyang, 618 ce
Page 8Bian RiverHuitong RiverThe Story of the
Grand Canal
Some 2,500 years ago, in ancient China,
an emperor had a bright idea. If he joined
together two rivers, the Huai and the Yangtze,
he could transport his troops quickly through
his lands to conquer an enemy kingdom.So was built the first stage of a canal that would become
one of the greatest human-made wonders of the world.
A thousand years later, various rivers and canal sections
were combined into one great waterway, shipping grain
and other goods from Hangzhou in the fertile south to
Beijing in the dry north.Trade flourished and thriving cities grew up along
the canal's banks, as China entered a golden age. Life was
not always easy, however. Floods and wars brought disaster
and hardship, and eventually the canal fell into decline and
neglect. But modern times have breathed new life into the
canal. Sections have been repaired, and many of its
beautiful landmarks restored. You’ll see some of them
on the pages of this book. Today the waterway stretches
1,115 miles (1,794 km)—the longest, as well as the oldest,
canal in the world.
So come with us and explore this ancient wonder. Our
story follows the fortunes of the canal and the people that
lived along it, through good times and bad. You’ll meet
emperors and soldiers, merchants and mysterious travelers,
and children just like you. You’ll find out what people
wore, and what they ate, and how they spent their time,
from antiquity to the present.Hangzhou, 1185 ce
Page 12Yangzhou, 486 bce
Page 4Luoyang, 605 ce
Page 6Kaifeng, 960 ce
Page 10Huaiyin, 1699 ce
Page 16Nanwang, 1420 ce
Page 18Linqing, 1600 ce
Page 20Tianjin, 2020 ce
Page 22Tongzhou, 1450 ce, 1550 ce, 1600 ce
Pages 24, 26 & 28Suzhou, 760 ce
Page 14Beijing, 1910 ce
Page 30Luo RiverJINANAREA OF MAIN MAPQINGDAOSHANGHAINANJINGYangtze RiverYellow RiverHuai River0 km0 miles^5010050 100SCALENSW E0 km0 miles 50 10050 100SCALEN
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