The ancient canal waterway starts from Biqi Alley in the west and ends at Dongpo Park in the east. Along the shore, visitors can tour major attractions such as the Big Wharf, Piling Inn, Biqi Alley, Wenheng Bridge, Xiyingli, Ming Dynasty City Wall, Qingguo Alley, Front and Back Beian, Tianning Pagoda, Tianning Temple, Hongmei Park, Dongpo Park, and more. The section of the ancient canal that runs from Guanhe Mouth through Xizhi Street to Haided Bridge has preserved the original appearance of old houses and buildings with their whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs and stone wharves. East of Haided Bridge lies the world-renowned Biqi Alley. Within the alley are historical sites such as the Big Wharf, Piling Inn Stele, Comb Tower, "Biliang Lanterns," the grand archway, waterside pavilion, Chuan Yue Building, Wenheng Bridge, and others. "Biliang Lanterns" is one of the eight scenic views of the ancient western suburbs of Changzhou. In the past, the shimmering reflections of lanterns were mirrored on the canal water, blending with the lights on the boats along the shore, resembling a golden dragon. Now, one can still vaguely see the four big characters "Biliang Lanterns" on the double-eaved archway. After passing through Biqi Alley, the canal splits into the South Inner and Outer Rivers. The Inner River winds alongside the ancient cultural district of Xiyingli, running eastward by Qingguo Alley, converging with the northern inner river at Yanling Road, and finally meeting with the Outer River at Dongpo Park. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery and famous ancient sites of Changzhou while listening to the soft Wu dialect, appreciating Jiangnan silk and bamboo music, and tasting the delicious food of Longcheng. They can also admire the historical appearance and urban landscape of the "famous capital of eight counties" on the ancient canal lined with green willows, experiencing the fusion of history and reality.
As early as the 1980s, Changzhou, together with Wuxi and Suzhou, had already launched tours of the ancient canal, attracting countless domestic and foreign tourists. At that time, multiple tour groups were received every day, and the canal tour was called the "Emperor's Journey."
With the opening of the new canal, the main function of the ancient canal has shifted from "freight transportation" to "tourism." The launch of the ancient canal water tour fully presents the beautiful scenery of the ancient canal to the citizens. The ancient canal water tour of Changzhou differs from those in other cities because the ancient canal in Changzhou is one of the few canals in the country that runs through the city center. While many cities emphasize the lighting and greenery along both banks of the canal, Changzhou highlights the culture on both sides.
The ancient canal in Changzhou forms a "Turtle City Dragon Shape." Built along the river and prospering due to water, the canal water runs through the city, forming unique urban characteristics and cultural features over two thousand years: whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs, small bridges over flowing water, scholarly families, and riverside households.
As Changzhou's Grand Canal Cultural Experience Tour was selected for the World Expo, the local tourism department recently opened a new route for the ancient canal cultural tour, including attractions such as Tianning Temple, Hongmei Park, Canal No.5, Ge Xiaoxing Cigarette Label Museum, Dongpo Park, Ancient Canal Water Tour, and Changzhou Comb Factory. March is the best time to take a boat tour of the ancient canal. With the warm spring weather and flowers blooming, why not take your family for a walk along the canal and enjoy the bright spring scenery on both sides?
In the past, the rise of commerce, grain transport, wood industry, rice industry, bean industry, fruit industry, tea industry, and national industries and commerce along the canal brought economic glory to Changzhou. Unique cultural phenomena of Changzhou emerged, developed, and spread along the canal. Known as the "Dragon City," the canal water encircling the city formed a "Turtle City Dragon Shape" structure. The "Longcheng Academy," "Six Dragons Entering the County City," industrial economy's "Six Dragons," "China Dinosaur Park," and roads, bridges, rivers, alleys, ports, and ships named after dragons give the "Dragon City" richer connotations. The Tian Ning Temple, built on the edge of the canal during the Tang Zhen Guan period, has withstood the test of war and destruction over a thousand years, eventually becoming the "First Forest of Jiangnan" and forming the unique religious culture of Changzhou - "A Pure Land Amidst the Bustle."