History Research of Hangzhou Canal

Author: Wang Guoping
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: IV. The Decline and Revival of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal During Historical Periods
During the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty, while vigorously managing the canal, the government also heavily controlled the Yellow River, and the Yellow, Huai, and Canal rivers were temporarily at peace. However, in the later years of Qianlong, especially after the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, neglect of river management led to increasingly severe congestion of the canal. In the third year of Xianfeng (1853), the Yellow River broke through at Tongwaxiang, diverting northward and collapsing the Zhangqiu Town canal embankment. It carried the Wen River water into the Daqing River and flowed to Lijin to the sea, causing the canal north of Anshan to dry up. During the Tongzhi era (1862–1874), grain transport shifted primarily to sea routes, with only one-tenth still relying on river transport. In the 27th year of Guangxu (1901), grain transport was fully converted to a tax payment system, and the feudal government reduced its investment and enthusiasm for the canal, leading to its gradual deterioration.
In the early years of the Republic of China, the Tonghui Canal from Beijing to Tongzhou still retained its channel but lacked water, rendering it navigable only intermittently, with ships long gone. The Nan Canal from Tianjin to Linqing, fed by the Zhang and Wei rivers, had no risk of drying up, though it was silted and could only accommodate small boats carrying less than a thousand dan. In Shandong, the Lu Canal north of the Yellow River had previously relied on the Yellow River for water, leading to significant sedimentation and severe siltation. The southern section south of the Yellow River still had sufficient water sources, but most weirs and dams were in ruins, making water regulation difficult. As a result, half of the canal was silted up, while the other half could barely support small boat navigation.
The Zhong Canal from Tai'erzhuang to Huaiyin in Jiangsu had sufficient water sources from the Yi, Si, and Ju rivers, allowing for small boat navigation. However, during the summer and autumn flood seasons, if water levels rose too high, they would flood the embankments, blocking navigation.
The Li Canal from Huaiyin to Yangzhou passed through a plain area with abundant lakes and dense river networks, ensuring stable water sources. Small boats carrying less than a thousand dan could navigate freely, and shallow-draft steamboats could also travel back and forth.
The Jiangnan Canal south of the Yangtze River, except for the sections in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, which were frequently affected by tidal surges, and Hangzhou, Zhejiang, along the Qiantang River, which were often disturbed by sea tides, had abundant water sources and allowed for year-round navigation.
The Zhedong Canal also remained navigable.
In response to the realities and challenges faced by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal at the time, the Republic of China government undertook some localized renovations. For example, in Hebei, in the 7th year of the Republic (1918), the Nan Canal was rebuilt, converting the Ma Chang floodgating dam into a water-release gate. In northern Jiangsu, apart from multiple deepening and embankment repairs, the Shaozhou, Gaoyou, Huaiyin, and Liao Lao Jian ship locks were constructed between 1934 and 1936. Local authorities along the Jiangnan and Zhedong canals also conducted multiple dredging and embankment repairs.
In 1935, water management experts proposed a plan to restore the canal, but the Republic of China government, due to various reasons, lacked the resources to implement it.
After the liberation, provinces along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shandong, competed to renovate their respective sections. In April 1958, the state approved the Ministry of Transportation's plan to renovate the canal. From then on, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal experienced a new revival.