Cruising on the Grand Canal. Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, is characterized by its network of canals,
bridges and waterside houses, and is sometimes known as the “Venice of the East”. Its history dates
back to the 6th century BC, when canals were first introduced to control the region’s water table.
The Grand Canal was started in 486 BC and extended in sections over the next 1000 years, with the
aim of linking the Yangzi with the Yellow River. It is the world’s largest man-made waterway,
with a length of 1900 km, from Beijing to Hangzhou.