Revisiting a key junction

In 1329, as much as 3.5 million dan (a container that could hold about 75 kilograms) of rice was transported via the canal from southern China to Beijing.

In 2014, a section of canal in Tongzhou was put on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Gao says that Tongzhou was a crucial link both during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. And this is highlighted by some of the items on display like a plate used to weigh rice at Tongzhou's port.

There is a list of codes on display that shows there was a complicated system to check food quality and prevent fraud.

The Tongzhou District Museum also contributed some exhibits.

Zheng Xusheng, head of the museum, talks about a Qing map of the Grand Canal, from Beijing to Shandong province, from the reign of Yongzheng (1722-35).

According to Zheng, the map was taken to Japan during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) but was brought back to China around 2000.

"You can still find many facilities that exist today on the map," he says.

The exhibition runs until July 23.