The former course of the Tongji Canal in Sixian County

The former course of the Tongji Canal in Sixian County

The former course of the Tongji Canal in Sixian County is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The former course of the Tongji Canal in Sixian County

The Sixian County section is part of the Tongji Canal. The ancient Bian River entered Sixian County from Yuji Tomb in Lingbi County, running a total of 44.8 kilometers within the county. It flows eastward through Changzhigou, Zhouzhuang, and Pengpu, then along the north side of the Sisu Highway into the eastern part of the city. Locals refer to the eastern section as the East Bian River and the western section up to the Tanghe River as the West Bian River. The East Bian River merges with the Xiejia Gully (Old Su River) and flows eastward to Hongze Lake. Another tributary circles the west of Sixian County and reaches Tianjing Lake before entering the Huai River via the Chongtong River, now commonly referred to as the Shiliang River.

Tongji Canal: Also known as the Bian River, Bian Canal, or Bian Shui, it has a total length of 650 kilometers. Originating from Ban Zhu in Xingyang, Henan, where it exits the Yellow River, it flows into the Huai River at Xuyi, Jiangsu, passing through a total of 18 counties (cities) in three current provinces: Henan (Xingyang, Zhengzhou, Zhongmu, Kaifeng City, Kaifeng County, Qi County, Suixian, Ningling, Shangqiu, Yucheng, Xiayi, Yongcheng), Anhui (Suixi, Suzhou, Lingbi, Sixian), and Jiangsu (Sihong, Xuyi). It was the first phase of the Sui-Tang Grand Canal, excavated in 605 AD, connecting the Yellow River and the Huai River, linking Xi’an to Yangzhou. As the major transportation artery during the peak of the Chinese empire, it “connected the world’s hubs, commanded the four seas, and gathered shipping for both public and private needs.” It remained navigable for 720 years through the Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, Western Xia, Jin, and Yuan dynasties.