Grand Canal (China) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grand Canal of China |
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Watercraft moving across the Grand Canal of China in Suzhou
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| Specifications | |
| Length | 1,794 km (1,115 miles) |
| History | |
| Construction began | Sui dynasty |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Beijing |
| End point | Hangzhou |
| Connects to | Hai River, Yellow River, Huai River, Yangzi River, Qiantang River |
| Official name: The Grand Canal | |
| Type: | Cultural |
| Criteria: | i, iii, iv, vi |
| Designated: | 2014 (38th session) |
| Reference #: | 1443 |
| State Party: | China |
| Region: | Asia-Pacific |
| Grand Canal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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"Grand Canal" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
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| Simplified Chinese | 大运河 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 大運河 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Great Transport River" | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 京杭大运河 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 京杭大運河 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The Grand Canal is the longest and oldest artificial river in the world. It is also known as the Dayunhe or Jing–Hang Grand Canal. It stretches about 1,776 kilometers (1,104 miles) long.
The canal starts in Beijing and ends in Hangzhou. It connects China's two longest rivers: the Yellow River and the Yangzi River. The Grand Canal passes through many important places like Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
The highest point of the canal is 42 meters (138 feet) high. This is near the Shandong mountains. The Grand Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Contents
History of the Grand Canal
Some parts of the Grand Canal are very old. They were built over 2,500 years ago in the 5th century BC. The Sui dynasty (581–618 AD) added many new sections to the canal.
Later, the Yuan dynasty (1271–1633) and the Ming dynasty made big improvements. They built parts to direct water all the way to Beijing. This helped connect the northern and southern parts of China.
Pound Locks
An important invention helped ships travel easily on the canal. In the 10th century, a Song Dynasty engineer named Qiao Weiyue invented the pound lock.
A pound lock is like a water elevator for boats. It allows ships to move between different water levels in the canal. This made travel much smoother and faster.
Importance of the Canal
The Grand Canal has always been very important for China. It greatly improved China's economy. It made trade much easier between the northern and southern regions.
Even today, the canal is still used a lot for transporting goods. It continues to play a big role in China's trade and transport.
Challenges and Defense
Historically, the Yellow River often flooded. These floods sometimes threatened to damage the canal. During times of war, the canal was even used as a defense strategy. Sometimes, the dikes of the Yellow River were broken on purpose to flood enemy troops. However, this also caused big problems and hurt the economy.
Famous Visitors
Many people from different countries were amazed by the Grand Canal throughout history. These visitors include:
- Japanese monk Ennin (794–864)
- Persian historian Rashid al-Din (1247–1318)
- Korean official Choe Bu (1454–1504)
- Italian missionary Matteo Ricci (1552–1610)
Images for kids
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The Chinese invention of the pound lock system allows for water levels to be raised or lowered to improve travel in the canal.
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The Yongle Emperor (r. 1402–1424) restored the Grand Canal in the Ming era.
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Grand Canal. Drawing by William Alexander, draughtsman of the Macartney Embassy to China in 1793.
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The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou along the Grand Canal dated 1770.
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Barges on the modern Grand Canal ("Li Canal" section) near Yangzhou
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The Jiangnan Canal
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Grand Canal tour boats, Suzhou
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The canal in Jining City
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The junction of the Lu Canal and South Canal
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The Grand Canal at its northern terminus at Houhai in Beijing.
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The South–North Water Transfer Project central route starting point in Nanyang. Looking "upstream", toward the Danjiangkou Reservoir, from which the water is coming.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Canal de China para niños
