Meet Yangzhou, where the Grand Canal begins

A bird's-eye view of the Sanwan Scenic Area in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Sanwan Scenic Area, where the museum is located, is also an impressive sight of the Grand Canal.

Sanwan, literally three turns, means that the canal turns three times here. The curvy section was an ingenious design by Guo Guangfu, a local governor during the Ming Dynasty, to treat canal transport issues. Because Yangzhou's terrain is higher in the north, when upstream water flowed through the old Sanwan area, located in the city's south, it cascaded rapidly, making it hard to retain, often causing boats to run aground.