Han Gou (Han Canal), connecting the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, is China's oldest canal in record. During the late years of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), when Fu Chai, king of the Wu Kingdom, went up to the north to conquer other kingdoms, he ordered Han Gou to be constructed.

In the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the canal became one of the most important parts of the Grand Canal. During the North Song Dynasty (960-1127), Han Gou had the world's earliest ship lock. Later, the canal became an important part of the Grand Canal linking Beijing and Hangzhou during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).