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How did the Ling Canal connect river systems in southeastern China?

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View of Utrecht's Oude Gracht canal lined with historic brick buildings, arched doorways at water level, and boats moored along the canal edge in the Netherlands. — canals and inland waterways The *Oudegracht* (Old Canal), Utrecht, Netherlands.

The Ling Canal was constructed around 215 BCE to link the headwaters of the Xiang River, which flows north into Hunan province, with the Li River, a tributary of the Gui River system that leads to Guangzhou.12

Near the city of Xing’an, these two rivers are separated by a low divide. To bridge this gap, engineers built a contour canal that diverted water from the Xiang River along a gentle gradient into the Li River. The main section connecting the two rivers was known as the Nan Canal, while a secondary waterway called the Bei Canal was constructed to divert additional water from the Xiang to improve the channel. Furthermore, the Li River itself was canalized for approximately 27 km (17 miles) to ensure it was suitable for navigation until it reached its junction with the Gui River. This engineering feat created a vital water route connecting the Yangtze River basin to southern China.1