All ancient civilisations derive from places rich in water and urban civilisation is no exception. Like any other canal city, Zhenjiang gains prosperity over the millennia from the flow passing through the Grand Canal. The phrase “hills surround on three sides and a river runs through” perfectly depicts Zhenjiang’s geographic feature. Located in central Jiangsu Province, Zhenjiang lies close to Shanghai to the east, borders Nanjing to the west, and faces Yangzhou to the north. The city lies on the bank of the east-west Yangtze River near its intersection with the south-north Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, just like a pearl set in the renowned cross of this golden waterway. The 42.6-kilometre (km)-long Zhenjiang Section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is one of the earliest sections of the canal excavation in history. “Where Wu and Chu in sovereign might convene, Waters thread Jing to Yang, high and low between” (Duo Jing Lou, Yang Weizhen, the Yuan Dynasty). The growth and prosperity of Zhenjiang have been inextricably linked to the Yangtze River and even more intimately connected to the Grand Canal. The mighty Yangtze River and the enduring Grand Canal coverage here, nurturing the 3000-year-old civilisation of this ancient city.