As the world's longest artificial waterway spanning over 1,800 kilometers, China's Grand Canal created an intricate network connecting north and south, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, technology, and cultural traditions across the empire.

More than just a waterway for material transport, it became a vital network for technological innovation, commercial exchange, and cultural fusion — giving rise to a distinctive "Canal Civilization" that shaped China's development.

From the Sui to the Qing Dynasty, this engineering marvel unified regions and fueled national prosperity, now hailed as a world cultural heritage masterpiece.