Lìshuǐ

Lishui lies south of Nanjing, between the Qinhuai River and the lakes of the lower Yangtze plain. A passage cut through the reddish rock of Yanzhi Ridge joins the waters of Lake Shijiu to the Qinhuai. One great span of rock was left standing above the channel, forming the bridge known as Tianshengqiao.

In 1393 the Ming court ordered the excavation of the Yanzhi River to bring grain from the rich lands of the southeast to its capital at Nanjing. Workers cut through the ridge under the supervision of Li Xin, creating an inland route that avoided the dangerous current of the Yangtze. The steep rock walls and stone bridge preserve the memory of that ambitious undertaking.