On the Formation of the Zhedong Canal during the Pre-Qin and Qin-Han Periods

Abstract

The natural environment of the Ningshao Plain, which is surrounded by mountains and faces the sea, and the terrain of high south and low north, determined the inevitability of the development of water transportation in the region. Based on this, local water conservancy development had existed for a long time. The Zhedong Canal, which originated from the comprehensive engineering of the Shanyin ancient waterway constructed by the State of Yue in the late Spring and Autumn period, was further developed with the opening of the ancient Jiangnan Canal after the unification of Qin. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Jian Lake system was constructed, followed by the successive development of the Westward Canal during the Six Dynasties. Thus, the complete picture of the Zhedong Canal, as known today, gradually took shape. Based on the analysis of the engineering projects throughout the dynasties, it is evident that the formation of the Zhedong Canal was not accomplished overnight nor based on a single foundation. Its functional design was not limited to transportation alone. The superimposition of engineering projects across different periods revealed the canal's development as being adaptive to the times and innovative in nature. This objectively reflects the historical choice of Chinese ancestors to proactively adapt to nature and transform the environment.