China does not do things by halves, whether it's manufacturing or building a 13,000-mile-long wall. So it comes as no surprise to discover that the country's Grand Canal is on a scale that dwarfs all other man-made waterways in existence. Its origins, prosperity through to the 19th century and recent designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are explored in this new publication.The waterway runs from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south for 1,115 miles (currently only navigable between Hangzhou and Jining). Over 2,000 years, the route of the canal has been shifted by the natural movement of the rivers it crosses, notably the tempestuous Yellow River, as well as the changing whims and requirements of the region's many rulers. However, its primary purpose of conveying water from the south to the drier areas in the north has not changed.
展开▼
