“运河”正名

Nominal Rectification of “Canal”

中国古代把人工开凿的河叫做“渠” ,如郑国渠、灵渠、通济渠、永济渠……人工开凿的渠南北走向 ,才叫做运河 ,如京杭大运河。但后人不知 ,把所有人工开凿的河都叫运河 ,运河的概念就变了 ,说什么隋炀帝修运河 ,其实炀帝修的是渠 ,不是南北走向的运河。

In ancient times, the rivers cutting artificially were called “channels”, for example, Zhengguo channel, Ling channel, Tongji channel, Yongji channel, etc. Only those channels cutting artificially and joining north and south were called “canals”, for example, Beijing Hongzhou Grand Canal. Later on, all the rivers cutting artificially were called canals. Thus the conception of canal was changed. It is said that Yang Guang the last emperor of Sui Dynasty made the Grand canal. What he had made was channel in reality but not a canal running from south to north.