The Jing-Hang (Beijing-Hangzhou) Grand Canal is undoubtedly a wonder in the history of human civilization. It extends across the vastness of China like a mighty dragon, bringing people all the way from Beijing to Hangzhou. Along the way lie not only historical landmarks, majestic landscapes and fascinating stories, but also lyrical poetry lines that have made them timeless.

It was during the Sui dynasty (581-618) that large chunks of China’s Grand Canal that we see today were dug. Tongji Canal, a major section running over 1,000 kilometers, became the main inland water route in the Tang dynasty, transporting supplies and businesses from the south to Luoyang and Chang’an, the two capitals. Consequently, much had been written about the canal, called the Bian Canal at the time, in Tang poetry, from sceneries to everyday life, from politics to history.

Although the Grand Canal was dug in the Sui dynasty, it is the Tang dynasty, its successor, that reaped the benefits, for the Sui rulers were “dead immediately after things done and effort exhausted” (“Willows on the Bian Causeway”), and “all the glory belongs to Tang” (“Willow Branches”). Taking the Sui canal as the basis, Tang dynasty further expanded it by constructing new canals and establishing an extensive waterway network. Official posts were even set up to manage canal affairs. With a stable transportation system and much improved transportation capacity, the Tang dynasty prospered.

“Waves upon waves rise in the Huai River, ships upon ships arrive in no time.” A busy Grand Canal greatly helped the development of cities along its banks and businesses boomed. In Hangzhou, “A night market beside a bridge is ablaze with lights, as boats are moored outside a temple in the spring breeze.” In Bianzhou (present-day Kaifeng city), “Tea merchants haggle round the clock at water gates, rowdy drinkers booze all through the night at bridge markets.” In Yangzhou, “Thousands of lanterns at the night market light the blue sky, throngs of guests wine and dine amid fair ladies in buildings high.” … In every major city along the Grand Canal, it was a scene of hustle and bustle.

The Grand Canal was not only instrumental in boosting commerce, but also in promoting cultural communication and integration. According to Yuan Zhen (779-831): “Tang ladies are willing to marry men from the Western Regions and be dressed like them.” Indeed, the Grand Canal had become Tang’s lifeline, especially at the dynasty’s latter stages, “Much good of Huai River connected by the Bian Canal, yet it also put common people in harm’s way. Lands of abundance in the Southeast, via the canal they’ve been thoroughly taxed all，” as Li Jingfang (?-?) pointed out in this poem. And to Pi Rixiu (ca. 834-883), its benefits would last for generations upon generations：

While Sui’s downfall was triggered by the canal after all, the thousand-mile river is standing ever tall.

If not for their extravaganza and their subjects’ sweat and blood, the Sui rulers would have rivalled Da Yu, the Tamer of the Flood. (“Meditation on the Past at the Bian Canal”)

Clearly, in Tang poetry, the Grand Canal doubles as a vehicle to convey the poets’emotions and feelings, and serves as a symbol for them to reflect on the past. With Luoyang city as the center, the canal was connected to the life of the Tang people in every way, who often travelled along it for personal and official affairs. The seemingly unstoppable water, the ups and downs of the waves and departures of friends and relatives usually became the perfect triggers to sadness, disconsolation, resignation, determination, and countless other emotions, and to pen great poems.

“Crows caw at the setting moon and frost fills the sky, along the bank’s maples and fisher’s lights sad and sleepless I lie,” Zhang Ji (ca. 715-ca. 779) was apparently feeling melancholic when his boat moored along the Grand Canal in Suzhou city. For Du Mu (803-852), “Life is just like water under the frozen canal, running to the east without anyone noticing,” and little could be changed. Yet, Meng Yunqing (725-781) seemed to become quite determined when confronted with bad weather on the canal: “Destination still not reached, but be confident it will be fine. Leave the boat and forge ahead, in the southeast the sun will shine.”

Apart from personal life, Tang poets are also well known for their reflections on the vicissitudes of history. It is no exception when it comes to the Grand Canal. As Pi Rixiu already pointed out, the collapse of Sui dynasty, Tang’s predecessor, was thought to have largely been caused by the building of the canal, and this understanding had a great bearing on Tang poets.

Bai Juyi (772-846) described the crimes of Emperor Yang of Sui (569-618) thus: “Touring Jiangdu [present-day Yangzhou] to the south in a wanton manner,” leading to “empty treasuries all over the country”and eventually the dynasty’s downfall. Some believed that the Emperor Yang of Sui dug the canal specifically to satisfy his personal desire to enjoy a lavish life in the south, one of whom was Wang Lingran (ca. 692-ca. 725): “Sui rulers are so fond of Yangzhou, they’d travel to the seaside for sitting in the palace they are bored. Excavating earth, digging through mountains they open new road, with trumpets and drums water begins to flow.” Others were appalled by the extravagance of the Sui dynasty. Li Shangyin (ca. 813-ca. 858) was quite blunt: “The whole nation was making imperial brocade in spring breeze, half into saddle fenders and half into sails.” Unfortunately, Tang rulers ultimately threw caution to the wind and succumbed to the same fate as Sui.

Listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on June 22, 2014, today, the Grand Canal is one of the world’s best-known cultural and historic attractions. To most people, there seems no disputing the fact that the most charming part of the Grand Canal lies in Hangzhou. Indeed, Gongchen Bridge, regarded as the “First Bridge” of the Grand Canal, sits right in the north of the city.  

Literally meaning “bowing to the emperor at his arrival bridge”, it was initially built in 1631, the fourth year during the reign of Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and renovated several times during the Qing era. The highest and longest stone arch bridge in Hangzhou, Gongchen Bridge is perhaps best known as the place where Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong disembarked on their inspection tours of the city. Now, it is not only a popular place for local residents to hide from intense heat during mid-summer nights, but also one of the best-preserved historic attractions in Hangzhou. To the west of the bridge, a historical and cultural district has been set aside, with restored streets, buildings and shops, where visitors can immerse themselves in history.

Tangqi Ancient Town, the starting point of the Grand Canal’s Hangzhou section, is another good choice to get a glimpse of the past. Blessed with a rich heritage, including the 500-year-old Guangji Bridge, the only 7-arch stone bridge on the Grand Canal, the town has been open to public free of charge for quite some time. The idea of sustainable development, i.e. developing tourism without compromising conservation, has brought the bustling scenes of olden days back.

Yet another unique bridge along the canal lies to the northeast in Jiaxing city. Changhong Bridge, literally “long rainbow bridge”, is thought to be the largest stone arch bridge built on soft soil in northern Zhejiang. When the Grand Canal was selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, Changhong Bridge is one of the only two relics along the Jiaxing section that were included as major heritage items. To the west of the bridge is the renowned Changhong Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple sitting right behind the lush green Changhong Park. When boats and barges flow by, time seems to have come to a standstill.

While sections of the Grand Canal in Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) have undergone multiple changes, the western route is still active today. Known as the Chang-Hu-Shen Waterway, it runs 141 kilometers from Xiao Pu township in Changxing county of Huzhou city, to Songjiang district in Shanghai, and is one of eight major water systems in Zhejiang. To date, the Chang-Hu-Shen Waterway has been expanded quite a number of times and is now capable of carrying thousand-tonnage ships, which has played an important part in connecting featured industries along the route.

The Grand Canal is an indisputable engineering feat, but for Tang poets, it is also a metaphorical channel through which to express their innermost thoughts and feelings as well as their perspectives and opinions on history, politics, society, creating via poems a world of aesthetic imagination for readers.