Gāoyóu

Gāoyóu stands beside the Grand Canal and the lake that bears its name, in the low country between the Yangtze and Huái rivers. Its position made it a key point on the water route north. In 1353 the salt trader Zhāng Shìchéng rose against the Yuán and captured towns in the region. The following year he proclaimed himself king at Gāoyóu, naming his state Great Zhōu. His forces intercepted grain traffic on the canal, drawing a major imperial army against the town.