Grand Canal

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Wuzhen Old Town

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The Grand Canal

Suzhou Grand Canal Arriving in Suzhou we boarded a bus and were introduced to ...

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Ancient Town of Wuzhen

Wuzhen Town, in Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, has stood on the riverbanks ...

5.
Ancient Town of Wuzhen

Wuzhen Town, in Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, has stood on the riverbanks ...

China's legendary man-made waterway, the Grand Canal, runs from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south stretching 1,747 kilometers. At 10 times the length of the Suez Canal and 20 times that of the Panama Canal, it is another wonder made by the ancient Chinese.

Interconnecting five rivers, the Haihe, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River and the Qaintang River, the canal served as a significant means of transportation for centuries. It facilitated the transport of food and goods from the south to the north and boosted commercial development in the country. The section from Suzhou to Hangzhou is still in active use today, with vendors rowing their boats directly to households and shops in local townships.

Boat trips along the canal offer tourists a nice view of China's typical waterside villages, arched stone bridges and ancient riverside buildings along the countryside.

Tips & articles

Hanshan Temple: 2011-05-23

The Hanshan Temple in Suzhou is not only a charming historic temple, but a place of deep cultural resonance for people in China. The temple is located on the edge of the modern city center, alongside the ancient Grand Canal and several ancient bridges which ...Read More

Grand Canal: 2011-05-23

The Grand Canal in Suzhou, with wide surface, abundant and crystal clear water, has been the best part of the Grand Canal for shipping. The old canal is about 35km long from Hushu Pass to Wujiang City. On both sides of the bank, white walls and black tiles are ...Read More

Wuzhen Watertown: 2011-05-23

Wuzhen Town, in Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, has a history of more than 1,000 years. Of the ancient residential houses, workshops, and stores still standing on the banks of the rivers, 169,600 square meters, accounting for 81.54 percent of the town's ...Read More

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Recent posts

Ling Canal: by Shanti 2011-05-23

Overview Located in Xing'an County 70km from Guilin, the Ling Canal was built from 219 to 214 B.C, it's considered one of China's three engineering marvels beside the Great Wall and the Dujiangyan irrigation system in Sichuan. The canal can be seen in the market town of Xing'an. Know more The Ling Canal was built in the 214 BC of Qin Dynasty. It consists of ...

Karez Well: by Sophronia 2011-05-23

Karez Well is a kind of underground water works invented and built by laboring people of various ethnic groups in our country to adapt to the natural environment in dry region. The history of the karez, mainly used in the Hami and Turpan areas in Xinjiang, where it is hot and dry, dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.). It is considered one of ...

Maple Bridge: by Kayley 2011-05-23

The Maple Bridge (Feng Bridge, Fengqiao) is one of the most important resources of Suzhou scenic area. The area has unique and high historical culture value. Feng Bridge (Maple Bridge) is only hundreds steps distance from the Hanshan Temple. Since the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji wrote down the poem "Night Berthing at Feng Bridge", the maple bridge becomes ...