The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is the earliest and longest man-made canal in the world. With a total distance of more than 1700 kilometers, it starts from Beijing and ends in Hangzhou. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal plays a great role in the exchange of economy and culture between southern and northern China, especially in the industrial and agricultural development in the canal line area.

Jiaxing is a city with a rich canal culture in Zhejiang province. Chang'an town was a bustling hub of canal transportation and a gathering place for merchants. The remains of a dam and three sluice gates from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) are still preserved on the river channel.

Editor: Cheng Dengyu