Digging history of Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal: Who dug it, when and how?

Qin Shihuang excavated in Jiaxing during the Spring and Autumn Period.

The Grand Canal was dug in the Spring and Autumn Period, completed in the Sui Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, straightened out in the Yuan Dynasty and dredged in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the long years, it has experienced three major construction processes. The last building is called "Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal".

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Wu dug for the purpose of cutting Qi, which was greatly expanded in the Sui Dynasty and repaired to Luoyang, the capital, and even Zhuo Jun. When the Yuan Dynasty was rebuilt, it abandoned Luoyang and took Beijing. It has been dug for more than 2500 years now.

Extended data:

Xu Xi and Xupu are the earliest sections of the Grand Canal, and they are the embryonic period of the Grand Canal. According to legend, they were named after Wu Zixu, a doctor of the State of Wu. Fu Cha, the monarch of Wu who ruled the lower reaches of the Yangtze River at that time, had conquered Chu and Yue.

At present, there is only Qi, and Fu Cha is fighting for the hegemony of the Central Plains for the Northern Expedition of Qi. He mobilized civilian workers to dig the canal, from Yangzhou to the northeast, through Sheyang Lake to Huai 'an, and into the Huaihe River (today's canal). Because it passes through Hancheng, it is named "Hangou", with a total length of170km. It introduced the Yangtze River water into the Huaihe River, becoming the earliest section of the Grand Canal.

In the Warring States period, large ditches (from Yuanyang County, Henan Province, from north to south, into Putian, east of Zhengzhou City) and gaps were dug one after another, thus connecting the Yangtze River, Huaihe River and four rivers in the economic zone.

Baidu encyclopedia-Beijing-Hangzhou grand canal