The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is a vast waterway system in China, running from Beijing to Zhejiang province. Constructed in sections from the 5th century BC onwards, it was conceived as a unified means of communication for the Empire in the 7th century AD. In the 13th century AD, it could provide a unified inland navigation network consisting of more than 2,000 km of artificial waterways. In terms of dealing with difficult natural conditions, it is reflected in many constructions that are fully adapted to the diversity and complexity of circumstances, which is a remarkable and early development of hydraulic engineering and an essential technological achievement before the Industrial Revolution. Besides, the Grand Canal formed the unique cultural tradition of canal management via the Caoyun system, which contributed to the peasant economy and transport of food and troops. Correspondingly, the development of waterway networks also plays an decisive role in the economic and urban development in Ancient China. In order to propel digital protection of the Grand Canal, a project including digital archiving, virtual reconstruction and dynamic monitoring, was conducted in Beijing. Based on historical datasets, the research team completed the 3D models of 23 heritage sites and 3D virtual reconstruction of 15 ancient canal scenes. This effort contributes to the SDG 11 Sustainable Cities And Communities, which strengthens efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. Plus, the project utilises remote sensing to evaluate the ecological landscape, water quality and micro-deformation so that it could monitor the ecological enhancement of the Grand Canal Beijing section and thus secure the sustainable development. This part contributes to the SDG 6 Clean Water And Sanitation and SDG 15 Life On Land.

is51102025

Qianqian Zhang

Site

1465

01/04/2025

cm x cm x cm

current,39.90574457370876,116.68933282694269;

The Grand Canal

TEXT

Building

3913

public

1

qz48@st-andrews.ac.uk