What is the Grand Canal today?


What is the Grand Canal today? By the first half of the 20th century, the canal was no longer functioning coherently. Today, the canal is about 1,700 kilometers long and is still heavily used in the Yangtze delta. About 100,000 river vessels transit on the canal each year, carrying about 260 million tons, mostly construction material.


Who did the Grand Canal affect?

Transportation
  • From the Tang to Qing dynasties, the Grand Canal served as the main artery between northern and southern China and was essential for the transport of grain to Beijing. ...
  • The Grand Canal also enabled cultural exchange and political integration to occur between the north and south of China.


What two major rivers are connected by the Grand Canal?

Since most of China's major rivers flow from west to east, the fact that the Grand Canal runs north and south provides it as an important connector between the Yangtze River valley and the Yellow River valley, and other minor river systems.