Grand Canal Hangzhou
China - Xian - Beijing - Guangzhou - Chengdu - Dalian - Shenzhen - Shanghai - Hangzhou
The canal was built in various sections through many years and the conglomeration of these separated sections took place during the Sui Dynasty under the order of emperor Yangdi. Thousands of laborers were appointed for the work and many of them died out of the tremendous hard labor that they had undertaken. The entire project consumed an enormous amount of wealth and resulted in the final demise of the Sui Dynasty.
The utilities of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou:
- The Grand Canal runs from Hangzhou through the Zhejiang Province and finally ends in the northern part of china. In its way it connects to various streams and rivers. This interconnection of the canal with the many rivers and their tributaries resulted in its being a major source of transportation in the past. The grand canal is supposedly connects the rivers like Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe, Haihe, and Qiantang Rivers and flowed through Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang with Hangzhou at its southernmost end. The canal was utilized for transportation of goods and also food items from north to south in the ancient times.
- Connecting the various provinces of China, the Grand Canal facilitated the economical and cultural intercourse between them. Also, it improved the general administration and defense system of China.
- Today, the Grand Canal is also used for boating and this has become one of the favorite tourist activities as it offers a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape. You can explore the river towns of Southern china and get a glimpse of the ancient dwellings, historical relics and the pristine stone bridges. Boating on the Grand Canal is really the best and easiest way to explore China’s past. Getting acquainted with the food, the local people and their age-old customs would really be a fascinating experience for all!
