Han Gou

　　Han Gou (Han Canal), connecting the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, is China's oldest canal in record. During the late years of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), when Fu Chai, king of the Wu Kingdom, went up to the north to conquer other kingdoms, he ordered Han Gou to be constructed.

　　In the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the canal became one of the most important parts of the Grand Canal. During the North Song Dynasty (960-1127), Han Gou had the world's earliest ship lock. Later, the canal became an important part of the Grand Canal linking Beijing and Hangzhou during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).