Flow of history still evident in time-honored trade stop, Wang Qian reports.

The ancient water town of Tai'erzhuang alongside the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is an alluring tourism destination, a rare site where the original beauty and cultural legacies of the world's oldest manmade waterway remain alive today.

The 1,794-kilometer-long Grand Canal, nine times longer than the Suez Canal, linked northern and southern China and served as a lifeline for dynasties for 14 centuries. It joined the list of World Cultural Heritage sites on June 22.

Tai'erzhuang in Shandong province is renowned for its traditional architecture and water culture. Photos by Gao Qimin / For China Daily

The 1,794-kilometer-long Grand Canal served as a lifeline for dynasties across 14 centuries.

Ancient-style stone bridges are a big attraction.

Tianhou Temple is recreated by craftsmen from Quanzhou with exquisitely carved stone pillars.

An ancient arch in the historic town Tai'erzhuang is well-known for its exquisite and complicated stone carves. Ju Chuanjiang / China Daily

Located in Zaozhuang city of southwestern Shandong province where a significant section of the canal still functions, Tai'erzhuang has spectacular canal legacies, said experts, including ancient sluices, wharfs and revetments, making it an important part of the application for the World Cultural Heritage list.

The ancient town of Tai'erzhuang was established in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), but didn't really come alive until the Jia Canal was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).