The Grand Canal of China is the world's longest and oldest man-made waterway, stretching approximately 1,794 kilometers from Beijing to Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province. It passes through the municipality of Tianjin and provinces including Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, linking the north and south of the country in both geography and culture.

First constructed as early as the 5th century BC and greatly expanded during the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the canal was originally designed to transport grain, troops and supplies between the political center of the empire and southern regions. But its significance far exceeded logistics.

In 2014, the Grand Canal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not only for its immense scale and engineering brilliance, but also for its enduring cultural impact. The Grand Canal became a cultural artery, facilitating the flow of ideas, art, cuisine, customs and beliefs across regions for centuries. It has played a vital role in shaping China's economic prosperity, social cohesion and cultural exchange, and continues to function today as a major waterway. (Photos via VCG)