Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal - the Longest Canal in the World
Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal is one of the 3 major projects of ancient China. The other two are the Great Wall of China and the Karez Wells. The Grand Canal starts from Beijing in the north and ends in Hangzhou in the south.
It passes through Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, and runs through Haihe River, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River, and Qiantang River.
Map of Grand Canal
The Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal runs from the North China Plain straight to the Yangtze River Delta, passing through the following cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Cangzhou, Dezhou, Tai'an, Liaocheng, Jining, Zaozhuang, Xuzhou, Suqian, Huaian, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, Jiaxing and Hangzhou.
How Long is the Grand Canal
Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal, with a total length of 1,794 kilometers, is the longest canal in the world, equivalent to running 4,486 laps around a track. Together with the Sui-Tang Grand Canal and the Eastern Zhejiang Canal, it forms the Grand Canal of China.
Top 10 Longest Canals in the World
| Canal | Location | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal | China, Asia | 1, 794 kilometers |
| Karakum Canal | Turkmenistan, Central Asia | 1, 375 kilometers |
| Erie Canal | The United States, North America | 584 kilometers |
| Xuhe River | China, Asia | 296 kilometers |
| White Sea-Baltic Canal | Russia, Europe | 227 kilometers |
| Grand Union Canal | England, Europe | 220 kilometers |
| Suez Canal | Egypt, Africa | 193 kilometers |
| Rhine-Main-Danube Canal | Germany, Europe | 171 kilometers |
| Moscow Canal | Russia, Europe | 128 kilometers |
| Volga-Don Canal | Russia, Europe | 101 kilometers |
Which Rivers Does the Grand Canal Connect
In 486 BC, Fuchai, the emperor of the Wu State, dug the Han Canal, connecting the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, and thus the early Grand Canal came into being. In the following 2500 years, the Grand Canal continued to extend, linking the Qiantang River, Yangtze River, Huaihe River, Yellow River, and Haihe River from south to north.
Yellow River
In the past, the Yellow River flowed into the Yellow Sea from the east coast of Jiangsu Province, and the Grand Canal, the Yellow River, and the Huaihe River converged in Huai'an City. Due to the siltation of the Yellow River, the water would flow backward into the Grand Canal.
With the continuous rise of the Yellow River bed, the ancients adopted curves to reduce the water level difference between the Yellow River and the Grand Canal, and at the same time, they built many watercourses.
Yangtze River
The Grand Canal crosses the Yangtze River. In the past, on the north bank of the Yangtze River, 2 artificial waterways were constructed. When boats sailed north, they could take advantage of the force of the Yangtze River water flowing east, smoothly entering the eastern waterway. When boats sailed south, they could enter the Yangtze River from the western waterway and smoothly enter the Jiangnan Canal.
Why is the Grand Canal Important
In the past, the main function of the Grand Canal was to transport goods. With China's political center located in the northwest and north, there was a need to transport food and various supplies from the south to the capital. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was a north-south waterway, greatly facilitating transportation between the two regions.
It not only shortened the overland distance between the north and south but also reduced transportation costs, improved efficiency, and addressed issues related to national treasury storage and food supply for officials and soldiers.
Today, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal boasts rich tourism resources, including natural and cultural landscapes. The development of these resources can drive the tourism industry in the region and promote local economic prosperity.
Is the Grand Canal in China Still Used
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is an important passage for the Eastern Route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project, ensuring that water from the downstream of the Yangtze River can be delivered to the water-scarce regions of Shandong and Hebei in the north.
On July 1, 2024, the full line of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal completed the water replenishment task, with water flowing along the entire route for over a hundred days for the first time.
Grand Canal History
The Grand Canal has a history of more than 2000 years. This canal was first built in 486 BC and was fully navigable by 1293 AD, spanning a total of 1779 years.
Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period
To compete with Jin for territorial sovereignty, the King of Wu dug a canal between today's Yangzhou and Huai'an, named the "Han Canal". Its main purpose was to transport troops, which was the earliest section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
Sui Dynasty
Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty built Guangtong Canal, Tongji Canal, Shanyang Canal, Yongji Canal, and Jiangnan Canal with Luoyang as the center. These rivers had the same specifications and were connected, extending from Luoyang southeast to Hangzhou and northeast to Beijing.
Emperor Yang Guang forcibly required all men over 15 years old to participate in the construction of the rivers, and many people died of exhaustion on the construction site. At that time, the economy in the south developed well, and it was necessary to transport grain and military supplies to the north. The excavation of the canal was mainly to solve the problem of grain transportation.
Yuan Dynasty
During the Yuan Dynasty, the political center was Beijing. To connect the north and the south, the original east-west canal centered on Luoyang was rebuilt into a north-south canal centered on Beijing.
The Jizhou Canal and Huitong Canal connecting Jiangsu and Tianjin, and the Tonghui Canal between Beijing and Tianjin were successively opened, which shortened the Grand Canal bypassing Luoyang by more than 900 kilometers.
Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Grand Canal continued to be maintained and governed. The river sections in Shandong Province were re-dredged, and the Kaikou Canal, Tongji New River, and Zhonghe River were built between Jining City and Huaian City. At that time, the cargo transport volume of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal accounted for 3/4 of the country's total.
Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum is adjacent to the Gongchen Bridge, which marks the terminus of the Grand Canal, comprehensively showcasing the natural scenery and historical culture of the Grand Canal. When you visit China, you can explore the entire process of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and its construction within the museum, organized chronologically by dynasties.
- Location: Gongshu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
- Opening Hours: 9:00-16:30 (from Tuesday to Sunday)
- Admission fee: free