The Imperial City welcomed the first snow of the year. The snow on the main road leading from the Imperial City to the Grand Canal’s pier had been swept to the side, creating a stark contrast in colors.0

Every year, 20,000 boats from the Imperial Court and provincial governments would dock at the Grand Canal. At the end of the year, crowds of people would gather at the dock to pick up the goods before the heavy snow arrived. However, this pier was not the end of the Grand Canal. There was also a section of the canal that connected to the moat of the Imperial Capital.0

After passing through the watergate, one could directly enter Taiji Lake in the Imperial Capital. However, only authorized boats carrying royal tributes had access to this waterway.0

The Grand Canal referred to a canal system that originated before the unification of China. During the Warring States period, the State of Wu was vying for dominance over the Central Plains against the State of Qi. Thus, they excavated a canal near Jinling Prefecture to divert water from the Yangtze River.1

Historically known as the Han Canal, the Grand Canal formed the basis of what later became the Grand Canal. Throughout successive dynasties, especially during the Jin Dynasty, the canal underwent significant expansions, eventually connecting the...0