Historic Beijing was a city built around canals and rivers. Inevitably time some were filled in, built over and were only memories on historic maps. In recent years some have been restored and add considerable beauty to historic parts of the city.
Bruce has been watching for some time work restoring the Jade River - this watercourse flows from the Qianhai at the Fire God Temple to Beiheyan Dajie. Initially the section up to what was the Dianmen Bridge was opened. Now from the section from Kuanjie Church to Beiheyan has been completed and allows for a fascinating walk through history.
Bruce is following this section of the canal with Beijing historian Jeremiah Jenne, swapping stories and tales of Beijing's canals and the role they played in the city's development from the early days of the Yuan Dynasty.