The country’s first water traffic light was originally designed to protect it?

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"Two big enemies rowed from Hangzhou to Beijing along the Grand Canal"

This video went viral

In the video, two people are riding an inflatable boat

It is planned to take one and a half months to depart from Hangzhou

Rowing 1,800 kilometers to Beijing

But we only traveled 5 kilometers in 6 hours.

was intercepted by the Water Transport Administrative Law Enforcement Team

The next day, the "personal apology" video was posted online.

In this video

The country's first water traffic light flashes by

Some netizens are curious

What exactly is a traffic light on the water?

Today, I will give you some scientific knowledge

Appeared in the video

It is the first water traffic light in China.

Located at the southernmost end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal

Gongshu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

The appearance of the traffic light

It is to protect an ancient bridge that is more than 300 years old.

Gongchen Bridge

In 2014, with the successful application of the Grand Canal for World Heritage status

Gongchen Bridge was selected as a World Cultural Heritage Site as a relic of the canal hydraulic engineering

However, with the development of shipping

This bridge is frequently damaged.

Although the relevant departments have specially

4 crash barriers were cast

But the collision could not be avoided

Data shows that from 2013 to 2016 alone

There were 26 water traffic accidents in this area

In order to balance the protection of ancient bridges and water transportation

The Gongchen Bridge water traffic light was born

Traffic lights are set to allow ships to pass in one direction at a time

Fundamentally avoid the possibility of ship encounters

The traffic lights on the water have also become the "guardian knight" of this ancient bridge.

This is our innovative move to protect the hydraulic relics.

Well, in addition to Gongchen Bridge

What other important hydraulic relics are there along the Grand Canal?

The Grand Canal hydraulic remains include

Rivers, lakes, hydraulic facilities, etc.

A total of 63

I will introduce a few places to you

Image from The Busy Grand Canal: A Time Travel Across China

The Grand Canal (Hangzhou Section) is a World Cultural Heritage. It originated in the Qin Dynasty, took shape in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and flourished in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is one of the longest sections of the Grand Canal in continuous use. It is about 110 kilometers long and covers 11 heritage sites, accounting for one-tenth of the sections of the Grand Canal that have been nominated for World Heritage status.

Image from The Busy Grand Canal: A Time Travel Across China

Slender West Lake is called "Slender West Lake" because of its long and thin surface. It is a landscape belt formed by the moats of different dynasties such as Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing. As an important part of Yangzhou City's water system, Slender West Lake maintains an interactive relationship with the Grand Canal, and is not only a tributary of the Grand Canal, but also a unique cultural landscape of the Grand Canal.

Image from The Busy Grand Canal: A Time Travel Across China

Chang'an Gate was an important hub and management agency that connected Chang'an Tang (Chongchang Port) and Shangtang River, two different water systems in ancient times. It is one of the largest canal facilities on the ancient Jiangnan Grand Canal and the only example of the three major sluice gates from the Song Dynasty that still exist today.

Learn about these canal hydraulic relics

Do you have a deeper understanding of the Grand Canal?

Next trip

You may also look for it during your travels.

Are there any precious canal relics around you?