Page 9 - Jupiter Ocean Mile - February '23

Jupiter Ocean Mile, Page 9

Wuxi, China And Life On The Grand Canal from page 8 The aim of the reconstruction
was to restore the canal to
into cloth in Suzhou and Shanghai. The production of a state that could handle
silk was developed by a group of Shanghai merchants, all 2,000-ton ships. Between
of whom were former residents of the Wuxi area. Since 1958 and 1965 the canal
1970, Wuxi has been the center of silk reeling in China. was straightened, widened
Because of the close line of the two cities, Wuxi was and dredged. In addition, a
known colloquially before WWII as “Little Shanghai.” new section some 40 miles
Modern fabrics and manufacturing processes have long was constructed. By
changed the character of the manufactured goods that the mid-1970s the canal
emanate from the city. Today, food processing, machine could accept medium-sized
tools, engineered products and the like are the backbone barge traffic throughout its
of Wuxi’s industry. However, silk is still the jewel of length. Today, the majority
the city, and no trip to the city is complete without of traffic on the canal is
experiencing its silk industry, from the worm to the located in the southern
thread. The maze of smaller lakes and canals fill the area sections, below Suzhou.
and produce still another crop for the area: fish. Fish Sailing on the Grand Wuxi’s city center
farming of carp, catfish and other freshwater fish in these Canal, one can appreciate
waters provides a major portion of the necessary food. the importance of this
Fish and rice are the two main staples of the Chinese diet. waterway, not only with
No story about Wuxi would be complete without respect to the movement
further details of the Grand Canal, from which it gained of goods, but also to the
its geographic prominence. The canal was started in fourth way of life. The stories of
century B.C., and was extensively rebuilt in A.D. 607. It its importance can be felt
was originally named the Shanyang Canal, and was cut in the structures and, more
between the Yangtze and Huang Ho (Yellow) rivers. In importantly, the people who
recent times this portion of the canal has been called the live, work and utilize the
Southern Grand Canal. canal. I am sure that much
Another major portion of the canal was completed has changed in the living
during the Sui dynasty, at the same time the original canal standards of the people who
was being rebuilt. The New Pein Canal was an east-west live along the banks of the
link between the Huang Ho and Huai Ho rivers. This canal, however, to outsiders
served the needs of the Chinese until the 13th century, the customs still being
when during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, the need to bring practiced seem primitive.
the waterway to Beijing was fulfilled. At the time, the Wuxi will probably
capital was Beijing, but several centuries later during the never be sold as a travel
Ming dynasty, it was moved to Nanjing, which launched destination through the
the building of the various interconnecting canals until exciting photographs of An old vessel docks along the Grand Canal in Wuxi.
the 19th century. a travel brochure, but for
In the 19th century a series of disastrous floods broke those whose need for knowledge exceeds the pleasures agency, is located at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North
the dikes of the Huang Ho, causing great problems in of life in tourist areas, Wuxi offers the experience of a Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens.
the northern sections of the system. These acts of nature, lifetime. The agency has been serving the travel needs of the South
coupled with the Taiping and Nien Rebellions, caused the The late Don Kiselewski wrote from his personal Florida area for over a quarter of a century. Contact them
canal to Beijing to be abandoned; it fell into disrepair and experiences, having traveled in 122 countries and cruised at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
became unusable. It wasn’t until Communist rule in 1958 the oceans, seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach
that work began to restore the canal to its full prominence. Gardens Travel Leaders, his family owned and operated Photos by Don Kiselewski

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