Ancient Plank Road Ruins

　　Because the upper reaches of the Han River held considerable military and economic significance, the Han Dynasty not only developed the local economy but also saw rapid advancements in transportation and communication. Emperor Wu of the Western Han renovated the Baoxie Road and once planned to connect the southeastern regions via the Han River to address the capital’s grain transport issues. However, from Hanzhong to Ankang, the waterways were fraught with gorges and dangerous rapids, making grain transport extremely difficult. Around the year 130 AD, Emperor Wu mobilized local laborers to clear the rapids and constructed sections of plank roads along the towpaths of the Han River. These allowed not only boat trackers to pull vessels forward but also pedestrians to travel along the riverbanks. To this day, remnants of these riverside plank roads can still be found at sites such as Dali Tan, Huanggu Tan, Mianyu River Mouth, and Caochuan. Additionally, multiple plank roads were built on mountain paths leading from the upper reaches of rivers like the Renhe, Donghe, and Ruhe toward northeastern Sichuan. For example, the Baduhe Plank Road near Wugebao and the Heishui River Plank Road near Hunrenping were vital routes to eastern Sichuan, while the Zhuxi River Plank Road led directly to the northern part of Shunan County.