Historic site · ZHEJIANG · UNESCO
The Grand Canal
大运河 · Dà Yùnhé
About
UNESCO-listed Grand Canal stretching 1,794 km from Beijing to Hangzhou — the longest artificial waterway in the world, built over 2,500 years and still partially navigable.
The Grand Canal of China, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage property in 2014, is the longest artificial waterway ever constructed, stretching approximately 1,794 km from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south. Construction began in the 5th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn period and continued in phases over two and a half millennia. The canal's most significant expansion occurred under the Sui dynasty (581–618 CE) when Emperor Yangdi connected existing waterways to create a unified north–south artery, and again under the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368 CE) when the route was straightened to eliminate a westward detour through Luoyang.
The canal functioned as the backbone of China's internal trade and tax-grain transport system for over a millennium. Rice, silk, porcelain and salt from the south were shipped north to feed the capital and supply the imperial court, while northward-flowing grain enabled China's northern cities to sustain populations far beyond the agricultural capacity of their immediate surroundings. The canal's importance only declined with the development of coastal shipping and, eventually, railways.
Today the southern sections between Hangzhou and Suzhou remain commercially navigable, and barge traffic is still a common sight. The most rewarding stretches for visitors are the historic canal districts of Hangzhou (Gongchen Bridge area and Qinghefang), Suzhou (Shantang Street), Yangzhou and Jining, where restored embankments, warehouses, bridges and lock gates preserve the canal's heritage character. Boat cruises along the Hangzhou section offer a relaxed perspective on canal life.
The UNESCO inscription encompasses 27 sections of the canal and 58 associated heritage sites across 8 provinces and municipalities.
How to get there
The canal passes through or near several major cities. Hangzhou (southern terminus) and Suzhou are the most accessible entry points, both served by high-speed rail from Shanghai (30–60 min). Yangzhou is reached from Nanjing by coach (1 hour) or ferry.
When to visit
April–May and September–October. The Hangzhou section is pleasant year-round; summer is humid but canal-side vegetation is lush.
Crowds: The Hangzhou Gongchen Bridge area is a weekend leisure destination for locals; visit weekday mornings for quieter exploration. The Suzhou Shantang Street section is popular but long enough to find quiet stretches away from the commercial core.
UNESCO inscription
“The Grand Canal is a vast waterway system in the north-eastern and central-eastern plains of China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south. Constructed in sections from the 5th century BC onwards, it was conceived as a unified means of communication for the Empire for the first time in the 7th century AD (Sui dynasty). This led to a series of gigantic construction sites, creating the world’s largest and most extensive civil engineering project prior to the Industrial Revolution. It formed the backbone of the Empire’s inland communication system, transporting grain and strategic raw materials, and supplying rice to feed the population. By the 13th century it consisted of more than 2,000 km of artificial waterways, linking five of China’s main river basins. It has played an important role in ensuring the country’s economic prosperity and stability and is still ”
Other attractions in Hangzhou
Other historic sites in China
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui — Xidi and Hongcun皖南古村落—西递、宏村
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed pair of Ming-Qing Huizhou merchant villages in southern Anhui, renowned for whitewashed walls, inky horsehead gables and moon-shaped ponds.
- Anqing Zhenfeng Pagoda安庆振风塔
A seven-storey Ming Dynasty pagoda standing on the bank of the Yangtze River in Anqing, considered one of the finest riverside pagodas in southern China and long used as a navigation landmark by Yangtze river pilots.
- Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed archaeological site in Hangzhou preserving the remains of a 5,000-year-old city with a sophisticated water-management system, jade ritual culture and social hierarchy — regarded as one of the earliest state-level societies in East Asia.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed capital cities and royal tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in Jian, Jilin — the Chinese portion of a transnational heritage property shared with North Korea, representing one of the most powerful states of ancient East Asia.
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)苏州古典园林
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed collection of private gardens in Suzhou — four inscribed in 1997 and five more added in 2000 — representing the pinnacle of Chinese garden design through the refined integration of architecture, water, rock and plant.
- Danba Tibetan Watchtowers丹巴碉楼
Clusters of ancient stone watchtowers rising above Tibetan village complexes in the Dadu River valley, said to be among the oldest surviving examples of Tibetan defensive architecture.
- Drum Tower and Bell Tower鼓楼钟楼
Yuan-dynasty drum and bell towers that kept official time for imperial Beijing. Climbable; daily drum performances.
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System都江堰
UNESCO · 2,300-year-old irrigation system on the Min River. Still in use. UNESCO-listed jointly with Mt Qingcheng. Engineering rather than architecture, but one of the great works.
Other UNESCO World Heritage sites in China
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui — Xidi and Hongcun皖南古村落—西递、宏村
UNESCO-listed pair of Ming-Qing Huizhou merchant villages in southern Anhui, renowned for whitewashed walls, inky horsehead gables and moon-shaped ponds.
- Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
UNESCO-listed archaeological site in Hangzhou preserving the remains of a 5,000-year-old city with a sophisticated water-management system, jade ritual culture and social hierarchy — regarded as one of the earliest state-level societies in East Asia.
- Badain Jaran Desert — Lakes and Dunes巴丹吉林沙漠—沙山湖泊群
UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in Inner Mongolia — the third largest desert in China, featuring some of the world's tallest stationary dunes and a unique network of freshwater and saline lakes sustained by a still-unexplained subterranean water system.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬
UNESCO-listed capital cities and royal tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in Jian, Jilin — the Chinese portion of a transnational heritage property shared with North Korea, representing one of the most powerful states of ancient East Asia.
- China Danxia中国丹霞
UNESCO Natural World Heritage site — a serial property of six Danxia landscapes across six provinces, representing China's defining red-cliff-and-pillar sandstone landform type, including Danxia Mountain, Zhangye, Taining and Langshan.
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)苏州古典园林
UNESCO-listed collection of private gardens in Suzhou — four inscribed in 1997 and five more added in 2000 — representing the pinnacle of Chinese garden design through the refined integration of architecture, water, rock and plant.
- Couple's Retreat Garden耦园
UNESCO-listed Suzhou garden organised symmetrically around a central residence. Less crowded than the four most-visited gardens.
- Drepung Monastery哲蚌寺
Once the largest monastery in the world (10,000+ monks). 8 km west of Lhasa. Active Gelugpa monastery; debating courtyard sessions in the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
- When is The Grand Canal open?
- The Grand Canal opening hours: Canal embankments and public promenades: 24 hours. Associated museums: typically 09:00–17:00, closed Mondays.
- How long do you need at The Grand Canal?
- Allow 2–4 hours for The Grand Canal. Add buffer time if you plan to visit at peak season or include nearby sights in the same trip.
- When is the best time to visit The Grand Canal?
- April–May and September–October. The Hangzhou section is pleasant year-round; summer is humid but canal-side vegetation is lush.
- How do you get to The Grand Canal?
- The canal passes through or near several major cities. Hangzhou (southern terminus) and Suzhou are the most accessible entry points, both served by high-speed rail from Shanghai (30–60 min). Yangzhou is reached from Nanjing by coach (1 hour) or ferry.
- How do you avoid the crowds at The Grand Canal?
- The Hangzhou Gongchen Bridge area is a weekend leisure destination for locals; visit weekday mornings for quieter exploration. The Suzhou Shantang Street section is popular but long enough to find quiet stretches away from the commercial core.
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