The North Canal was formerly known as "Gu Shui, "Bai River" and "Lu River". It was named North Canal after it merged with the Tonghui River at the north gate of Tongzhou in Beijing. It flows through Xiang River in Hebei Province and merges into the Hai River in Tianjin City, with a total length of 186 kilometers.

North Canal has historically been an important canal for transportation of goods. It has made significant contributions to the formation and prosperity of coastal cities, agricultural progress, industrial development, and economic and cultural exchanges.

The most prosperous period of the North Canal's transportation was during the Yuan Dynasty. At that time, due to the increased demand for grain in the capital, the transportation volume doubled. Wangjia Ferry, located on the Xiang River section of theNorth Canal, was a transportation hub for several counties in the east of Beijing. In history, most of the grain ships on the canal stopped here when entering or leaving Beijing.

The Grand Canal was the lifeline of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In order to ensure the safety and smoothness of the canal, during this period, the main focus was on developing and managing the North Canal by building embankments, excavating canals, and diverting water for transportation.

At the same time, in order to ensure the continuous flow of the North Canal and reduce disasters and enrich the people, the management and operation system of the North Canal became increasingly perfect. The transportation system in the Qing Dynasty was the most comprehensive among all dynasties. In addition to setting up the central institution of the Dushui Division to manage the canal, the court also set up relevant institutions along the line and refined their responsibilities: some were responsible for commercial taxation, some were responsible for dredging and repairing embankments, and some were responsible for maintaining and building ships. Under such a perfect and strict management system, both sides of the canal were full of vitality, attracting a large number of people and developing related industries, which in turn promoted the birth of towns along the river and gave birth to rich cultural landscapes.

With the opening of the Beijing-Tianjin Railway, the Qing government announced the abolition of canal transportation in 1901, and grain transportation was directly transported to Beijing by train. The scene of "boats and carts gathering, and thousands of people crowding" became a permanent memory. The North Canal, with its clear waves, connected Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. On June 24, 2022, the entire 62-kilometer section of the Beijing-Hebei section of the Grand Canal achieved trial navigation. The North Canal has once again shown the prosperous scene of canal transportation in ancient times, and the beautiful vision of "blue and green interweaving, and water city blending" is becoming a reality.

Xihaizi Park

Xihaizi Park is located on the west side of the northern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was first built in 1936 and expanded in 1985. It is a brilliant pearl embedded in Tongzhou City. The ancients called lakes "haizi". To the north of the old city of Tongzhou, there are two lakes, Donghaizi and Xihaizi. This lake is located to the west, so it is called Xihaizi.

Xihaizi Park takes the traditional Chinese landscape garden as its gardening concept, using the technique of "suppressing before highlighting" in the overall design, and combining natural water, stones, flowers, and trees to create various garden scenes that reflect different moods. Walking in the lush park greatly enriches the park's levels and colors, forming a diverse landscape effect with various heights and types.

After multiple renovations and expansions, XXihaizi Park has become what we see today. The renovated park takes water as its soul, and canal culture and Tongzhou history as its core, combined with rich historical relics such as the Three Temples, Randeng Tower, Hulu Lake, and Li Zhuowu's Tomb, forming a landscape architecture of "one tower, two lakes, and four districts". This makes Xihaizi Park a new urban landscape in Tongzhou District, where ancient and modern intersect, water and green blend, and movement and stillness are harmonious.

Address: No. 12 Xihai Lake West Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Randeng Tower

Randeng Tower is located on the northeast side of Tongzhou District, at the starting point of the North Canal. It is one of the earliest and most complete Buddhist pagodas in the Beijing area, and is also an important landmark building in Tongzhou.

Randeng Tower was built in the Liao Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,000 years. According to the Tongzhou County Chronicle, Randeng Tower was first built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and was an important building in the famous ancient temple of Youshengjiao Temple in Tongzhou. In the seventh year of the Tang Dynasty (633 AD), Yuchi Jingde supervised the reconstruction. It has been repaired or rebuilt in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In the 1985 renovation, in addition to repairing the top of the tower, the tower spire was raised by five meters, and spire components were added. At the same time, all 2,224 wind chimes were repaired, completely restoring the historical appearance of the pagoda.

Randeng Tower, Youshengjiaosi Temple, Confucian Temple, and Ziqing Palace together form the "Three Temples and One Tower Complex" scenic area. "Three Temples and One Tower Complex" is a large ancient architectural complex that combines three religions in the North China region and is an important carrier of the Beijing Grand Canal culture.

Address: No. 1 Dacheng Street, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Daguang Tower

Daguang Tower was built in the seventh year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1528) and was rebuilt and expanded during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. To the south is the North Canal, and to the north is the Tonghui River.

This is a hub for the distribution of goods from the north and south. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, officials in charge inspected the grain and supplies coming from the south here, so it was also called the Grain Inspection Tower.

Like the Randeng Tower, Daguang Tower is a landmark building at the northern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, with significant historical and landscape value. In recent years, a two-floor building with an antique hip roof and called "Daguang Tower" was built on the west bank of the Grand Canal near the site of the original Daguang Tower. Although it is not the original structure, it is also a tribute to the glorious past of Daguang Tower.

Address: Furong North Road, Lucheng Town, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Qianhe Xielu Bridge

The design of the Qianhe Xielu Bridge began in 2012, with the "lotus" as the main theme, and the shape of the lotus and dew blending together to interpret the cultural charm of the Grand Canal for thousands of years. The lotus leaf-shaped edges on both sides of the bridge body create naturally undulating three-level landscape platforms, integrating the pedestrian walkway, bicycle lane, and bridge body into one.

The lower observation platform also has a dew gathering platform. On rainy days, the slow water flows down onto the bridge piers like dewdrops, presenting a beautiful scene of "thousands of lotus leaves dripping with dew".

Whether enjoying the canal scenery from the bridge or admiring the scenery of the Qianhezhalu Bridge from the wooden walkways on both sides of the canal, it is very nice. It is best to come during sunset to experience the excellent light and shadow photography effects.

Standing on the Qianhezhalu Bridge and looking southeast, the giant bronze sculpture "Dong Fang" created by contemporary artist Han Meilin stands on the opposite bank. This sculpture consists of a giant dragon with dancing claws and three auspicious qilin at the bottom, symbolizing the development and economic takeoff of the city sub-center. The sculpture is surrounded by a relaxing and leisurely hillside lawn, which is the first choice for kite flying and strolling with children in the urban area.

Address: Binhe North Road, Tongzhou District, Beijing

Grand Canal Forest Park

Grand Canal Forest Park is located on both sides of the North Canal in Tongzhou New Town, Beijing. It starts from Luyang Bridge in the north and ends at Wuyao Bridge in the south. The total length of the river is about 8.6 kilometers, the left bank is 8191 meters long, the right bank is 3639 meters long, and the total construction area is 713 hectares.

It is a part of the world cultural heritage, the Grand Canal of China (including the Sui and Tang Grand Canal, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Zhejiang East Grand Canal, the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal, etc.).

There are asphalt roads suitable for hiking, with a flat surface. There are mileage and coordinate signs along the way, making it easy for tourists to find the nearest route to the entrance. Tourists can see their location and exercise level, adding fun to park fitness.

Hiking to enjoy the flowers is also a good choice. Along the way, the tall trees have formed a canopy. The four-season forest landscape presents spring peach blossoms, summer parasol trees, autumn ginkgo leaves, and winter pine trees.

Another way to exercise and play at the Grand Canal Forest Park is cycling. On the left bank of the park, which is the side of the canal terminal, there is a water-friendly cycling path that is about 20 kilometers long. The path connects dozens of leisure spots. Motor vehicles are strictly prohibited on the bike path, creating a safe and exclusive passage for cyclists. Cycling on the "Canal Greenway" allows you to breathe fresh air from the forest oxygen bar and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

The autumn colors in the park are colorful, with the red leaves of the maple and Tianmu Qionghua plants, along with the ginkgo leaves falling with the wind, everything looks wonderful. Being in the vast reed beds is like being in a dreamy world of floating feathers.

Address: On both sides of the North Canal in Tongzhou New Town, Tongzhou District, Beijing