This book explores the civilization, culture and cultural relics of the Grand Canal during its history of more than two thousand years, as well as its unique role in today’s development of Chinese culture and technological innovation. It aims to provide a historical frame of reference for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. By covering seven historical and modern periods of the Grand Canal as well as 35 major towns proven to be old and new landmarks along the canal, the book introduces the civilization, culture, and evolution of the canal basin and the changes and development of the towns. From multiple dimensions and perspectives, it tells the time-honored canal’s historical and modern developments and demonstrates that its cultural and economic value can play a greater role in promoting the new development dynamic which takes the domestic market as the mainstay and lets the domestic and international markets reinforce each other.