Han Zhuang

　　Han Zhuang is situated 30 kilometers southeast of Xiazhen, the county seat of Weishan County, with Zaozhuang to the east and Xuzhou to the south. Here, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, and National Highway 104 all intersect. Three railway bridges and four highway bridges stretch from north to south and link hands from east to west, spanning the Old Canal, the Middle Canal, and the Yijia River. On the Yijia River, the lock between two bridges handles fleets of boats with loud whistles sounding as they shuttle back and forth ceaselessly. In this small town in southern Shandong, there are stations for both railways and highways, as well as ports and locks for shipping. For centuries, it has been the gateway of Shandong and the critical crossing point for north-south traffic between Shandong and Jiangsu. Tracing back Han Zhuang’s history, in the early Ming Dynasty it was just an ordinary settlement with only a few households surnamed Han. In the 32nd year of the Wanli era (1604 AD), it began as a small dock on the canal transport route. By the early Qing Dynasty during the Shunzhi reign, the canal became bustling and prosperous, and the Han Zhuang dock developed rapidly. During the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty, the emperors made twelve “Southern Tours” and “Canal Inspections” to the south. Han Zhuang was not only a necessary route but also a place where they disembarked to tour, stay overnight, and dine. In the 22nd year of Qianlong’s reign (1757), after the excavation of the Yijia River, a new water storage lock was built, establishing a “water reservoir” that diverted lake water into the canal. Since 1604, structures such as the Han Zhuang Lock, the dual Lake Outlet (Water Storage) Locks, the Han Zhuang Dock, and the Han Zhuang Market were successively constructed. By then, Han Zhuang had become a notably bustling small town along the canal. From the fifth year of the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty (1855) to 1949 — nearly a hundred years — the Yellow River changed its course due to breaches, interrupting the Grand Canal; the Japanese invasion brought arson, killing, looting, and destruction; and Chiang Kai-shek’s betrayal of the nation sparked civil war. Han Zhuang experienced a period of decline.

　　　　After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, socialist construction advanced rapidly, and Han Zhuang, like a withered tree reviving in spring, saw unprecedented development. In 1956, Han Zhuang established one of East China’s larger power plants — the Han Zhuang Power Plant. A dedicated railway line was built, channeling substantial electrical energy into the East China Power Grid, supplying factories and farmland.

　　　　In 1958, the canal was expanded, and a control lock was built. Between the Old Jia River and the Yijia River, a 500-meter-wide and 10-meter-deep Middle Canal was dug. At the lake outlet, a 31-bay, 8.9-meter-wide, 436-meter-long, and 11.2-meter-high bridge lock was constructed.

　　　　Thanks to convenient transportation, along with advantages in resources and location (the area includes Weishan Lake, the Han Zhuang Power Plant, and proximity to the important Jiangsu city of Xuzhou and the Jiangsu coal mining region), more than 80 state-owned, collective, private, and Sino-French joint ventures have been built within a 5-square-kilometer urban area since the 1960s. These include cement plants, refractory material plants, ironworks, phosphate fertilizer plants, chemical plants, shipyards, medicine companies, timber companies, and fuel companies. More than 40 central, provincial, municipal, and county-level administrative and management institutions have also been established here. The resident population has reached over 30,000.

　　　　Han Zhuang is not only conveniently located and economically developed but also boasts beautiful scenery. Standing on the 436-meter Han Zhuang Control Lock, or atop the 30-plus-meter-high bridge tower, looking east you can see the fertile plains stretching for hundreds of miles. When the lock opens, the lake water pours out for miles with overwhelming momentum, a spectacular sight. Looking west, the vast Weishan Lake is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the glow of sunset, dotted with fishing boats, evoking a feeling of openness and relaxation. Han Zhuang, once praised by Emperor Qianlong: “Mist over Han Zhuang veils towers and terraces; after rain, the slanting sun won’t clear the shore. Best to be in the deep bends of the long isle, where sail after sail comes into view,” has been made even more beautiful and enchanting by the diligent and wise people of Han Zhuang.