Yu-Yu Canal (Yuyao Section)

Yu-Yu Canal (Yuyao Section)

The Yu-Yu Canal (Yuyao Section) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Yu-Yu Canal (Yuyao Section) is primarily composed of the Yao River and roughly takes the shape of a candy: the western section is divided into north and south lines that converge into the Yao River from Shangyu. The northern line is called the Yu-Yao Canal, which was excavated during the Jin dynasties and includes the Hutang River and Mazhu Central River; the southern line consists of the Eighteen-Li River (built in the ninth year of the Yongle era in the Ming Dynasty) and the main channel of the Yao River — the Tongming River. The Yao River flows eastward to the urban area of Yuyao where it splits into three branches — Houqing, Zhongshun, and Zuiliang — encircling the two ancient towns. It finally divides at Zhangting's Three Rivers Junction into the Cijiang and Yao rivers, flowing onward to Jiangbei District in Ningbo. The branching points are further interconnected by numerous channels and tributaries, forming an intricate network of waterways.