Urban Subarea—Landscape Evolution of the Urban Inner-Port Wharves Under the Influence of the Grand Canal

This Chapter investigates the landscape evolution of urban inner-port wharf subareas shaped by the Grand Canal, situating these districts within the broader framework of canal-based landscape systems and urban development. As key spatial nodes linking the main canal with inland urban fabrics, inner-port wharves (An inner-port wharves is a cargo and passenger docking area embedded within a city’s internal river or canal system, functioning as a node of transport, commerce, and urban life.) historically functioned as interfaces for transportation, commerce, and hydraulic regulation, giving rise to distinctive waterscape-oriented urban landscapes. From the perspective of landscape architecture and urban history, this chapter examines how canal infrastructure, water networks, and surrounding landforms jointly structured the spatial morphology and functional organization of inner-port districts. Through comparative case studies—including Shichahai in Beijing, Changmen in Suzhou City, and the eastern canal area of Liaocheng City—the chapter traces the long-term transformation of these subareas from transport-oriented port landscapes to multifunctional urban spaces. The analysis demonstrates that although the logistical role of the Grand Canal diminished over time, the landscape structures established by canal-based water systems persisted and continued to influence urban form. Through adaptive reuse, these inner-port landscapes were gradually integrated into contemporary urban systems as cultural landscapes, public waterfronts, and carriers of historical memory. By focusing on the interaction between hydraulic infrastructure, landscape form, and urban subareas, this chapter reveals how canal-driven landscape systems shaped urban growth at the micro scale, complementing basin-scale regional development discussed in subsequent chapters.