Review | Children’s history of world’s oldest and longest canal a beautifully illustrated journey into China’s past
- China Through Time offers young readers a picture-heavy tour through the history of the Grand Canal, work on which began 2,500 years ago
- The book covers different aspects of the canal, one of the great feats of engineering, u p to the present, sometimes jumping between eras, but is easy to follow
China Through Time: A 2,500 Year Journey Along the World’s Greatest Canal, illustrated by Du Fei, DK Children, 4 stars
In China Through Time, young readers are invited to explore the people, the stories and the fortunes of the world’s longest and oldest canal. With illustrations by Du Fei, the book takes readers on an illustrated journey through key moments in the history of the canal.
The book opens with the idea of the Grand Canal: “Some 2,500 years ago, in ancient China, an emperor had a bright idea. If he joined together two rivers, the Huai and the Yangtze, he could transport his troops quickly through his lands to conquer an enemy kingdom.”
Du Fei’s illustrations comprise the bulk of each double-page spread. A short introductory paragraph explains each era and the location, while a brief description describes the context of the time.
But – as it should be – the focus is on the illustrations. Certain elements are identified: on the page illustrating the start of construction in 486 BCE, readers can see King Fuchai of Wu and his advisers, soldiers and canal diggers; at a night fair on Maple Bridge in Suzhou in 760 CE, the Hangshan Temple is named, as is the Jiangcun Bridge.
The integration of the text is subtle, as are the notes that encircle the illustrations and frame each page. “Can you spot the guard whose shield is painted with the face of a tiger?” asks a page dedicated to Kaifeng – one of the eight ancient capitals of China – in 960 CE.
