Canal in the Lake

　　　　The canal in the lake starts from Jining in the north, dives straight into Weishan Lake, and swims submerged until it emerges again at Han Zhuang Town. Here, the river is the lake, and the lake is the river—a vast expanse of misty waters, seamlessly blended. Only the tugboat convoys, known as the “water trains,” can reveal the canal’s presence. Stretching over 140 kilometers from north to south, the canal in the lake accounts for 1/25th of the total length of the Grand Canal. It is part of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and also “an enduring song of the Chinese nation.”

　　　　The canal, historically used mainly for grain transport, is commonly known as the Grain Transport River. The area within Weishan County was originally a low-lying marshland known as Daze or Peize, with the Si River running through it. In the seventh year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (624 AD), Yu Chijingde, then military governor of Xuzhou, excavated a canal to transport grain supplies, diverting water from the Wen and Si rivers to Jining, which then split north and south—the northern branch following the old course of the Ji River northward, and the southern branch flowing naturally down the Si River, passing through Weishan, and reaching Xuzhou and Huai’nan. When the Yuan Dynasty established its capital in Beijing, needing 1 million dan of grain from the Jianghuai region annually, sea transport suffered heavy losses, and overland transport was prohibitively expensive. Thus, there was an urgent need to establish an inland waterway connecting north and south—and the canal was born. From then on, the canal underwent continuous excavation, relocation, and abandonment, spanning the Ming and Qing dynasties, and has a history of over 700 years.

　　　　In the 20th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1283 AD), Li Aoluchi, Minister of War, oversaw the canal’s construction. The project first dredged the Si River waterway south of Jining, focusing on digging the Jizhou Canal from Jining to Dongping. In the 26th year of Zhiyuan (1289 AD), the Huitong Canal was dug, extending from Dongping north to Linqing. From south of Jining to Xuzhou, the Si River was appropriated as the canal, passing through Shifo, Zhongqian, Luqiao, Zaolin, Nanyang, Guting, Huling, east of Pei County, crossing Feiyun Bridge (located southeast of present-day Pei County, originally built over the Pao River), exiting Chacheng, and leading directly to Dafuqiao (near present-day North Zhenkou of Xuzhou). Subsequently, during the reigns of Yanyou and Dade, the Xindian Sluice, Shizhuang Sluice, Zaolin Sluice, Mengyangpo Sluice, Jinguo Sluice, and Gutou Sluice were completed. The *Yuan History · Treatise on Rivers and Canals* states: “All goods dispatched by the Jiangnan Provincial Administration were transported via the Huitong Canal to the capital.” “The Sluice-Canal refers to the Huitong Canal, connecting to the Wei River at Linqing in the north, and joining the Yellow River at Chacheng in the south.” It is evident that at this time, the section from the south at Xuzhou to the north at Linqing was collectively referred to as the Huitong Canal. This was the earliest canal in Weishan.

　　　　In the sixth year of the Jiajing era (1527 AD), the Yellow River breached its banks in areas such as Xuzhou and Pei County. Floodwaters rushed into Jimingtai (now the northern section of present-day Zhaoyang Lake), crossed the canal, and invaded Zhaoyang Lake, causing over 30 li of silt buildup around Miaodao Kou on the canal. In the 44th year of Jiajing (1565 AD), the Yellow River breached massively in Xiaoxian County, and floods once again invaded Zhaoyang Lake, leading to severe silting and disrupting the vital grain transport for the Ming Dynasty’s capital. Consequently, between the 44th year of Jiajing (1565 AD) and the first year of the Longqing era (1567 AD), after many twists and turns, a new 141-li-long canal transport channel was excavated. It started from Nanyang in the north, passed through Jianzha, Xiazhen, crossed Xiliuzhuang and Majiaqiao, and reached Liucheng in the south. The canal shifted from the lowlands west of the lake to the highlands east of the lake, thereby resolving the issue of siltation. A large number of cargo ships could now sail smoothly northward through the new channel, demonstrating significant capability. Many desolate small villages became bustling port docks. Faced with the scene of “ten thousand vessels transporting tribute and goods, revitalizing hundreds of counties with irrigated fields and mulberry cultivation,” many composed songs and poems to praise the achievements of the canal’s management. One poem praised: “Once again carved by the hands of a divine Yu, peace rises as the folk sing praises.” Even Emperor Muzong was pleased and “composed four celebratory poems to show his ministers,” while also summoning the canal management commander Zhu Heng to the capital and conferring upon him the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent.

　　　　However, the good times of the new canal transport channel did not last long. In the 31st year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1603 AD), the Yellow River breached near Sucun Village in Shan County, and floodwaters surged into Zhaoyang Lake, flowed south through Likou, and exited at Zhankou, silting the canal. Grand Coordinator Li Hualong submitted a proposal to excavate a new canal, which the imperial court highly praised and ordered to be carried out swiftly: “Quickly gather laborers to dig.” By August of the 32nd year of Wanli, the work was completed. The new canal ran southeast from Xiazhen, passed through Xifang and Pengkou Sluice, exited at Han Zhuang, proceeded to Taierzhuang, and met the Yellow River at Donggou. This waterway avoided the erosion caused by the Yellow River between Donggou and Chacheng in Xuzhou, ensuring smooth north-south canal transport. Qing Dynasty scholar Jin Fu hailed this dredging as the greatest achievement in flood control during the Ming Dynasty.

　　　　The Huitong Canal, the new canal transport channel, and the main canal—after the dredging and expansion efforts following the founding of the People’s Republic of China—these are the three canals that flow north-south across the narrow terrain of Weishan County, nourishing every blade of grass and tree here, and giving birth to the splendid culture of the lake area. The canal in the lake, as part of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, holds an indelible historical legacy. Flowing ceaselessly day and night, for centuries it has not only irrigated thousands of square kilometers of fertile farmland on both banks but also served as the arterial waterway for north-south transport. Stretching from Zhongqian in the north to Han Zhuang in the south, the rise and fall of villages along the canal have been closely tied to it. Today, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has injected new vitality into the canal. After the completion of the first phase, thousand-ton cargo ships can carry coal from the Yanzhou coalfields fully loaded from Jining all the way to the Yangtze River; they can also bring goods from the water towns of the south back to Shandong. At the same time, it helps stabilize the fluctuating water levels of Weishan Lake, alleviating periods of drought and flooding.