The Grand Canal in China is the oldest and longest man-made canal in the world. It starts in the north at Beijing and ends at Hangzhou,which links up the five large rivers of Haihe, Huanghe (the Yellow River), Huaihe, Changjiang (the Yangtze) and Qiantangjiang.

The Grand Canal flows through Beijing,Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang with Hangzhou at its southernmost end. Hence the name of the Jing-Hang Canal. In ancient times, it served as the main artery of communication between north and south.The canal is 1,795 km (1,114 miles) long with 24 locks and some 60 bridges.

The building of the canal began in 486 B.C. during the Wu Dynasty. It was extended during the Qi Dynasty, and later by Emperor Yangdi of Sui Dynasty during six years of furious construction from 605-610 AD.

In 605 A.D., Emperor Yang Di of the Sui Dynasty succeeded to the throne. For the purpose of facilitating the transportation of goods and materials from the south to the north so that rare and precious fauna and flora could be collected from all parts of the country for his palace at Luoyang, he levied a million laborers to build a great canal with Luoyang as its center.

It took almost six whole years to complete the project. This gigantic undertaking had involved more than 150,000,000 man-days of work. Numerous men and women died of starvation, fatigue and illness due to the harsh and primitive living and working conditions, and many were simply beaten to death by overseers.

But from the aspects of improving communication between north and south, promoting economic and cultural exchange and strengthening the unification of the country, the Grand Canal, like The Great Wall, is an extremely stupendous project in the history of Chinese civilization.

The China Grand Canal functioned as an important waterway, connecting Hangzhou with distant Beijing (in 610 AD); it casts a living portrait of ancient Chinese life that remain much the same today.

Boating on the old Chinese Canal is one of the best ways to get a panoramic view of the landscape of typical river towns in southern China, which include ancient dwellings, stone bridges of traditional designs and historical relics. Experiencing some of the local customs offers much delight to travelers. Tourists also have an opportunity to enjoy good food while appreciating the surrounding scenery.