Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal
JIANG Zhaocai1 LIU Chuang1
1 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100101，China
DOI:10.3974/geodb.2026.07.05.V1
Published:July 2026
Visitors：83 Data Files Downloaded：0
Data Downloaded： 无 Citations：
Key Words：
Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal,Beijing,Hangzhou,route
Abstract：
In 2006, the Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal was included in the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. In 2013, the State Council designated “The Grand Canal” as part of the seventh batch of these national protected sites, encompassing the Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Sui‑Tang Grand Canal, and the Zhedong (Eastern Zhejiang) Canal. In 2014, the Grand Canal was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Drawing on official materials and literature from the National Cultural Heritage Administration as well as from provincial and municipal authorities concerning the key protected sections and World Heritage components of the Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal, the authors systematically delineated the canal’s route using Google Earth, Baidu Maps, and other mapping tools. The Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal is located between 30°15′38″N -39°55′22″N，115°41′24″E-120°45′8″E. It starts in the north at the confluence of five rivers in Tongzhou District, Beijing, and ends in the south at Sanbao Ship Lock in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, where it joins the Qiantang River. The canal passes through 7 provincial‑level administrative divisions (Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang) and 21 prefecture‑level cities. The section in Taiqian, Henan Province, is currently a relic route without a well‑defined watercourse, and therefore has been omitted from the map. For certain cities that involve multiple branch routes, the drawing shall primarily focus on the existing major navigable river sections. The total length of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is 1,825.17 km, of which about 710.35 km is north of the Yellow River and about 1,114.82 km is south of the Yellow River. The dataset is archived in .kmz and .shp data formats, and consists of 9 data files with data size of 357 KB (compressed into 2 files with 183 KB).
Foundation Item：
Data Citation：
JIANG Zhaocai, LIU Chuang. Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal[J/DB/OL]. Digital Journal of Global Change Data Repository, 2026. https://doi.org/10.3974/geodb.2026.07.05.V1. .
References：
[1] China Academy of Cultural Heritage. The Grand Canal: a living culture, a precious heritage [J]. Qiushi, 2025(1): 74–78.
[2] World Cultural Heritage Center Of China. Grand Canal overall data [EB]. https://www.wochmoc.org.cn/contents/32/1826.html.
[3] Tongzhou confirmed as northern starting point of Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal, monument erected at confluence of five rivers [N/OL]. Beijing Daily. (2015-06-17) [2026-07-02]. https://www.chinanews.com.cn/cul/2015/06-17/7348930.shtml.
[4] Dezhou section of the Beijing‑Hangzhou Grand Canal [EB/OL]. (2017-06-06) [2026-07-02]. https://zgdzds.dezhou.gov.cn/n56522285/n57175860/c57175904/content.html.
[5] Liaocheng’s 7 canal heritage sites and sections inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage list [EB/OL]. (2014-06-23) [2026-07-02]. http://www.liaocheng.gov.cn/channel_t_156_11232/doc_6394826d5042a20a2c245550.html.
[6] In 1960, Shandong dug a new river called the Beijing‑Hangzhou Canal, while the original canal from the Yuan Dynasty is called the Small Canal [EB/OL]. (2022-06-07) [2026-07-02]. https://dyhyjy.yzu.edu.cn/info/1019/1941.htm.
[7] Canal in the lake [EB/OL]. (2013-08-09) [2026-07-02]. http://www.weishan.gov.cn/art/2013/8/9/art_23101_1084179.html.
[8] East and west routes of the Beijing‑Hangzhou Canal in Jiangsu and Shandong (map) [EB/OL]. (2013-01-25) [2026-07-02]. http://www.gctezw.com/Item/4427.aspx.
[9] Suqian section of the Middle Canal (World Cultural Heritage, Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level) [EB/OL]. (2018-05-15) [2026-07-02]. https://wgl.suqian.gov.cn/swhgd/lyjd/201805/791f17ce31524e488a0eec1647a87950.shtml.
[10] Cultural, Historical and Literary Committee of Huai’an City. Construction of the Grand Canal “Hundred‑Mile Gallery” from the perspective of cultural‑tourism integration [EB/OL]. (2023-01-13) [2026-07-02]. https://zx.huaian.gov.cn/col/13974_376653/art/m/16725024/16735704420025UMVxpFa.html#1.
[11] Huaiyang Canal Huai’an section of the Grand Canal heritage river [N/OL]. Today Gongshu. (2022-07-01) [2026-07-02]. https://gsb.qybk.cn/html/2026-08/21/node_1.htm?v=1.
[12] Regulations on the protection of the Grand Canal Cultural Heritage in Yangzhou [EB/OL]. (2024-07-29) [2026-07-02]. https://wl.yangzhou.gov.cn/jgdj/xxyd/art/2024/art_5a7ed2ba0ee346d3bd3cba59b701e938.html#1.
[13] Changzhou section of the Grand Canal [EB/OL]. [2026-07-02]. http://www.tcmap.com.cn/landscape/137/dayunhechangzhouduan.html.
[14] The canal in Changzhou has a long history and has undergone three changes [N/OL]. Changzhou Daily. (2018-02-09) [2026-07-02]. https://m.gmw.cn/baijia/2018-02/09/27645205.html#verision=b92173f0.
[15] Wuxi section of the Grand Canal
the thousand‑mile canal, only this ring [EB/OL]. (2024-03-14) [2026-07-02]. https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1793465742110577435&wfr=spider&for=pc.
[16] Regulations on the protection, inheritance and utilization of the Grand Canal Culture in Suzhou [EB/OL]. (2023-02-21) [2026-07-02]. https://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/gbdfxfg/202302/c52589394eb9426b9bcef1e47d7e81cf.shtml.
[17] Jiaxing Municipal Culture Bureau. River courses of the Jiaxing section of the Grand Canal [EB/OL]. (2017-09-06) [2026-07-02]. https://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/gbdfxfg/202302/c52589394eb9426b9bcef1e47d7e81cf.shtml.
[18] Countdown to the Grand Canal’s World Heritage application [N/OL]. Zhejiang Daily. (2014-03-26) [2026-07-02]. https://zjrb.zjol.com.cn/html/2013-03/27/content_2067043.htm?div=-1.
Data Product:
| ID |
Data Name |
Data Size |
Operation |
| 1 |
Beijing-HangzhouGrandCanal.kmz |
98.48KB |
|
| 2 |
Beijing-HangzhouGrandCanalshp.rar |
85.05KB |
|