In episode one historian Andrew Field travels the southern half of China’s Grand Canal, heading south from the canal’s birthplace in Yangzhou, crossing the mighty Yangtze River and travelling through the fabled Jiangnan region before following the canal to the sea at the port of Ningbo, along the way experiencing the history, culture and people of this diverse and dynamic region.

In episode two Andrew Field travels the northern half of China’s Grand Canal, setting out from the canal’s birthplace of Yangzhou and following it through the lakes and rivers of northern Jiangsu, the highlands of Shandong and the plains of northern China before reaching the mega-cities of Tianjin and Beijing, encountering remarkable engineering, amazing cities and inspiring people.