清 佚名 大運河地圖 (從北京至長江) 卷|Map of the Grand Canal from Beijing to the Yangzi River

This work is executed as a handscroll in ink and color on silk, a medium and support commonly employed for Qing-era topographic paintings. The horizontal format, measuring 55.6 cm in height and 932.2 cm in width, allows for a continuous panoramic depiction of the Grand Canal route. The composition combines cartographic precision with pictorial elements: ink outlines define topography and architecture, while pale color washes indicate land, water, and vegetation, lending a descriptive yet refined visual character.

The handling is meticulous, with fine brushwork detailing cities, bridges, and waterways, reflecting the stylistic conventions of official 19th-century Chinese maps. No condition notes are recorded in the sources.

This extensive handscroll, measuring over nine meters in length and 55.6 centimeters in height, presents a detailed depiction of China's Grand Canal. Created anonymously during the Qing dynasty using ink and color on silk, the scroll traces the vital waterway from the area around Beijing southwards to the Yangzi River. It unfolds from right to left, illustrating the crucial infrastructure that facilitated imperial transport and communication.

While the physical scroll is believed to have been created in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century, scholarly analysis of the Yellow-Huai confluence indicates that the cartographic data reflects conditions between 1737 and 1761. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired this significant work in 2003 through a purchase supported by the Friends of Asian Art, where it is now cataloged under object number 2003.417.

The Grand Canal was not merely an engineering marvel but also a strategic imperial asset, closely observed by Qing rulers. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, for instance, undertook periodic inspection tours to the southern regions, during which they meticulously monitored the canal's condition and the effectiveness of its flood control measures, underscoring its critical role in the empire's stability and economy.