Communications and Transportation

This book tracks the various forms of transportation used in China, going back thousands of years to the pre-Qin period and the first known human creation of canoes. Elaborate water networks and road systems were subsequently formed as civilization advances, leading to the emergence of the Silk Road and established trade routes with Europe and the Middle East, maritime transport links to South Asia and India, and eventually extensive railroads set up across China.

As transportation methods and routes are gradually improved, communications between various regions of China – and between China and other civilizations and territories – grow exponentially, leaving an indelible mark on the countries involved. This volume records many of these communication and transportation shifts and advancements in great detail, providing readers with a comprehensive overview of how these matters developed over time and impacted society at large.

For those interested in further reading on these topics, this volume is an ideal read. It not only covers core themes but also addresses lesser-known aspects of Chinese transport development and includes several fascinating and even amusing real-world examples from history.

Fu Linxiang, Ph.D., was born in 1961 and is a professor at the Center for Historical Geographical Studies of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Fu specializes in historical geography and the ancient history of Shanghai. He is the first author of History of China’ s Administrative Divisions (Vol: Qing Dynasty & Republic of China), and the chief editor of Encyclopaedia of China (Vol: Transportation-Postal System). His other selected publications include Historical Atlas of Shanghai (Deputy Editor), New Perspectives on Evolutions of Wusong River, etc. Ge Jianxiong, Ph.D., born in 1945, is a professor at the Center for Historical Geographical Studies of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He is also a doctoral supervisor and Director of Fudan University Library. His research focuses on historical geography, population history, migration history, and cultural history. Selected publications of Professor Ge include History of the Population in China, History of Migrations in China, History of the Development of Population in China, A Perspective of Chinese History: Unification and Separation, etc.