Beijing Grand Canal Museum draws large crowds

People visit the "Prosperity and Sustainability: Exhibition of the History and Culture of Beijing and the Grand Canal" at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on July 4, 2024. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Ten years after China's Grand Canal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing is drawing large crowds with its exhibition "Prosperity and Sustainability: Exhibition of the History and Culture of Beijing and the Grand Canal."

The museum, also known as the Capital Museum East Branch, is located in the suburbs of Beijing and spans nearly 100,000 square meters. It features a variety of function halls, including exhibition areas, educational spaces, and workshops for cultural heritage restoration.

The Grand Canal, which dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), is divided into three sections: the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Grand Canal of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the Zhedong Canal. With a history of over 2,500 years and a length of nearly 3,200 kilometers, it is the world's longest and largest canal.

Visitors view the "Prosperity and Sustainability: Exhibition of the History and Culture of Beijing and the Grand Canal" at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on July 4, 2024. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

A photo taken on July 4, 2024, at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing showcases the Tang Dynasty's flourishing tea culture, a time when the Grand Canal, constructed in the Sui and Tang dynasties, greatly facilitated the transportation of tea. As an integral part of everyday life, China's Grand Canal has not only promoted the exchange of goods between the north and south but has also played a significant role in nurturing and cultivating various aspects of traditional Chinese culture. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Visitors view tea sets from the Tang Dynasty in the "Prosperity and Sustainability: Exhibition of the History and Culture of Beijing and the Grand Canal" at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on July 4, 2024. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Visitors observe a replica of a boat from the Yuan Dynasty at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on July 4, 2024. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Photo taken on July 4, 2024, shows a boy playing a simulated game to calculate the capacity and rate of the Grand Canal at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Visitors observe a circular porcelain plaque with a blue-and-white pattern from the Qing Dynasty at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on July 4, 2024. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)

Photo taken on July 4, 2024, at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing showcases how the Grand Canal is not merely a waterway but a cultural artery that has nurtured both material cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage throughout its history. (People’s Daily Online/Xue Yanyan)