Almost all rivers in China flow from West to East and flow into the Pacific ocean. Therefore, in ancient times there was a system of channels connecting in the meridional direction the basins of these rivers. Subsequently, separate sections were combined and completed. So there was the Grand canal of China, or as it is called in China, the Grand canal 大运河, Dunga.
The length of the Grand canal of China is 1774 km, is the longest canal in the world. It takes its rise in the County Tongxiang at Beijing, passes through the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin, and four provinces — Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang and ends in Hangzhou (Zhejiang province). It connects five rivers, the Haihe, Huanghe, Huaihe, Yangtze and Qiantang.
Map of the Grand canal of China. Source: Wikipedia
According to the Chronicles, in the V century BC in the Kingdom of Wu, which was located in the area of the lower reaches of the Yangtze river, started construction of a canal to Yangzhou. In those days the channel was called Chango. The construction was continued during the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC), becoming one of large-scale construction of the formidable Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
At the end of the VI century, when China was United under the sui Empire (581-618), it became necessary to connect a single water through various areas of China with the capital of the Empire — the city of Chang'an. First of all, it was due to the need of food supplies from South to North to feed the population and army along the Northern border. Sui Emperor Yang di (reign 604-617) rebuilt and expanded the old canals to Yangzhou, and has also built a new canal to Hangzhou across the Yangtze Delta. This event sparked criticism of his contemporaries, as the construction of canals was abandoned many human resources (several million people) and financial resources.
In the XIII century, during the reign of the yuan dynasty (1271-1368), the capital was Beijing. The canal was completed, linking the new administrative center of the country to the southern regions. Thus, he became the main transport route between North and South of the country.
The greater part of the canal passes through a flat area, but with occasional hills. Therefore, the channel is equipped with a lock system, invented in the tenth century. The Grand canal of China also contributed to the development of economic and cultural ties within the country. Hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo annually transported on it. From Central China to the North was carrying rice from the East — silk, copper products, fish. From the South came the precious metals and ivory.
The Grand canal of China in Hangzhou. Source: http://hg.grandcanal.com.cn/
In the last years of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) there was built a railway line Beijing-Hankou and Tianjin-Pukou, great progress has been and shipping. The Grand canal of China lost its former economic importance.
After the founding of the PRC (1949), the channel was reconstructed and with time almost throughout have opened a seasonal navigation. The exception is the segment passing through the territory of Shandong, which is used partially. On the site of the County Pisani (Prov. Jiangsu to Hangzhou (about 660 km) navigation is open all year round. In addition, the water from the canal is used for irrigation of adjacent lands.