An exhibition（展览）about the Grand Canal（大运河）ended at the National Museum of China in Beijing on March lst.
The Grand Canal is more than 2,500 years old. It is made up of the Beijing—Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Sui and Tang Grand Canal, and the Zhedong Canal. At nearly 3,200 kilometers long, it is the world's longest man-made waterway. It has influenced the development of Chinese economics（经济）and culture for hundreds of years.
Before it was built, people in ancient China used horses and oxen（公牛）, or simply traveled on foot, to trade goods（货物）. It was impossible to transport（运输）large-sized goods. After the Grand Canal connected the north and the south, business and cultural exchanges were able to develop further.
In fact, the Grand Canal played an important role in the building of the Forbidden City（紫禁城）. Materials from different parts of the country were sent to Beijing through the canal, including bricks（砖）fired in Shandong and Jiangsu and wood cut in Hunan. People even owe the beginning of Beijing duck to the canal. White lake ducks in the south were shipped to Beijing. They were then kept to make Beijing duck. People from all walks of life preferred to get together along the canal. They shared their experiences, traditions and culture with others.
