Unfurl a map of Shandong, and amidst its crisscrossing mountains and rivers lies the 645-kilometer-long Grand Canal, stretching from north to south. This ancient, meandering waterway holds countless mysteries—it is a mystical river that has connected China with the world. Along its banks, urban landscapes, folk traditions, historical sites, and regional characteristics gather. The canal water reaches Zaozhuang, passes through Jining, flows by Dongping, and cuts through Liaocheng. As Shandong’s fourth World Heritage Site, it blends the charm of southern Jiangnan with the essence of Qilu culture. Follow this ancient canal and explore the sights along its historic cities.
Zaozhuang | A Heavenly Paradise: Tai’erzhuang
Step into the ancient city of Tai’erzhuang, and the first sight to greet you is gray-tiled houses with black bricks set against a backdrop of glowing lanterns. Along the long bluestone-paved paths, wisps of faint smoke drift through the air, while the melodious singing of a girl rowing a boat reaches your ears: “The water town north of the Yangtze, beautiful Tai’erzhuang, graceful and charming, a port bustling in all seasons.” Just as the song describes, this lovely Tai’erzhuang sings joyfully all year round. Once winter sets in, the city turns into an ink-wash painting. In the quiet streets, you can hear the creak of inn doors, come across processions reenacting Emperor Qianlong’s tours, or admire Song-style architecture. Or you might pause in a quiet corner to enjoy the gentle melodies of liuqin opera and canal drum performances. Winter in Tai’erzhuang is so serene you can hear the flow of water, and as we wander through, we become part of the painting ourselves.
Jining | Historical Charm Along the Canal
Along the canal’s banks, as you take in the waterside scenery, have you ever discovered the timeless elegance brought by Nanyang Ancient Town and the serene Nanyang Lake? With over two thousand years of history, this place carries profound significance and now boasts the charm of a quintessential water town. The island, shaped like a pipa (Chinese lute), is lined with neatly arranged houses, street-front shops, and old-style residences with gray bricks and small tiles... The winding Grand Canal cuts through the town, connecting the island, the ancient settlement, and the water town into one continuous scene. “One Nanyang Town holds half the history of canal transport.” The ancient town still preserves numerous historic sites. On those bluestone roads, atop long bridges spanning the water, and within exquisitely carved artworks, traces of its former prosperity can still be faintly glimpsed.
Have you ever experienced the profound culture brought by the ceaselessly flowing ancient canal in Nangwang Ancient Town? This is the archaeological site of a hydraulic engineering marvel—the highest achievement in global civil engineering before the Industrial Revolution. It is also where canal culture, ancestral culture, and Buddhist culture converge... Ancient sites such as the Tomb of Chiyou, the Tomb of the Nine Lords of Lu, and the Dragon King Temple of the Canal Division all bear the marks of history. “One-third serves the emperor, seven-thirds head to the south”—this was Mao Zedong’s praise for the place. Its magnificent architectural complexes and rich collection of preserved poems and verses are how Nangwang Ancient Town expresses its own value.
Dongping Lake | Memories of Time in Winter Fishing
Unlike the tranquility of Tai’erzhuang Ancient Town, Dongping Lake comes alive in winter. As Shandong’s second-largest freshwater lake, it still preserves the folk tradition of “winter fishing.” If summer Dongping Lake is like an emerald draped in lush green, then in early winter, under the sunlight, it resembles a cake brushed with a layer of cream-yellow, tempting you to dive right in. A little later, when the lake freezes over, the people of western Shandong who pull ice nets spring into action. Around the end of January each year, when the ice on Dongping Lake reaches half a foot thick, fishermen wearing special spiked shoes break the ice and cast their nets to catch fish. The once shimmering emerald-like surface of the lake, now transformed into a scene straight out of Frozen, becomes a hub of lively activity as fishermen haul in bountiful catches. You might think Dongping Lake is only for boating, but the travel experiences during the coldest days of winter are even more extraordinary.
Liaocheng | Timeless Cultural Tales
They say every place has its own charm, and every stretch of land holds its own allure. The canal water flows through every inch of Liaocheng, leaving behind countless cultural stories. You can visit Dongchang to experience the unique charm of an ancient water town, learning about the city’s development at the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall, Guangyue Tower, and the Canal Culture Museum. Alternatively, head to Linqing to see the Sheli Pagoda, Aotouji, the Canal Tax Office, and the surviving Bamboo Lane—historic sites that bring the living canal ancient town, vibrant canal culture, and pulsating canal history to life. Liaocheng, those ancient tales intertwined with the canal, are slowly sharing their stories with you.
I drift along the canal, under the carved lattice windows of Song-style buildings on both banks, tasting winter water chestnuts and summer lotus roots. Listening to the crisp sounds of huagu opera from outside the window, it feels as if I’ve traveled back in time, entering an ink-wash landscape. You are my smiling, intimate friend, and I am your timeless, graceful companion.
Tall trees and graceful figures stroll into green fields, savoring wine and outdoor feasts in contentment. The Grand Canal along the rivers and mountains brims with beautiful sentiment, with delicate smoke wafting over fragrant wine sheds. This Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is like a beam of light descending upon the land of Qilu. Ride a small boat, admire the scenery, sip wine, and let songs drift through the air. The canal water joins you in your dreams.