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Yangtze River Transportation
For thousands of years, the Yangtze has been the main transport artery for people and freight moving between Sichuan Province and China's eastern coast. The Grand Canal of eastern China, constructed in stages beginning in the 5th century BC, connected northern China and areas of southern China to the Yangtze system. The Grand Canal was vital for transporting grain, soldiers, and officials until the 20th century, when railways and roads reduced its importance.
Today the Yangtze continues to be an extremely important inland waterway for commerce and industry. Oceangoing vessels can reach as far inland as Wuhan, and large cargo and passenger boats can reach Chongqing. Small boats travel farther upriver to Xinshezhen, about 3,000 km (about 1,860 mi) from the sea. The traditional boats called junks, less economical than steamboats, are now rarely seen on the river.
However, the development of railways has reduced transportation along the Yangtze. Before 1949 railroads running north-south were interrupted by the river. Goods and passengers had to cross by ferry. Several railroad bridges have been built since then. The two oldest bridges, crossing at Wuhan and Nanjing, were completed in 1956 and 1968, respectively. Other railroad bridges are located at Chongqing and near Kunming. In the 1970s a rail line was constructed parallel to the river from Wuhan to Chongqing.
The Yangtze is also associated with tourism, both national and international. Guided boat tours through the scenic Three Gorges have developed into a thriving tourism industry. The many historical, religious, and mythological sites along the Yangtze attract many Chinese visitors. Large cities on the river, especially Shanghai, offer tourist attractions as well.
