Yellow River Grain Transport System

Timeline

1. 501–550Middle and lower Yellow River · Yellow River basinDuring the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, northern regimes actively maintained Yellow River channels for southern campaigns; military operations such as Huan Wen's northern expeditions relied on combined transport via the Yellow River, Bian River, and Si River, forming a prototype of a military water transport network in the Yellow–Huai region.
2. 584Wei River mouth into the Yellow River (Tongguan) · ShaanxiEmperor Wen of Sui dug the Guangtong Canal to divert the Wei River to Tongguan and into the Yellow River, bypassing the Wei River's dangerous rapids and allowing goods from east of the passes to reach the capital Daxing City directly via the Yellow River, significantly improving grain transport conditions in Guanzhong.
3. 598–600Banzhukou (head of the Tongji Canal) · HenanAfter unification in the Sui, a canal system centered on the Yellow River and linking the Huai and coastal regions was planned; the Guangtong Canal and Shanyang Canal had already connected Guanzhong's water transport with Jianghuai, and by the end of the 6th century the pattern of the Yellow River grain transport network was basically established.