It is told that of the seventeen years Marco Polo spent in China, at least three was spent in Jiangnan. In his fabled account, Il Milione, Marco is careful to note Jiangnan waterways, both as infrastructure and in their phenomenological beauty. He describes the great Yangtze River, the prosperous cities along the Grand Canal, and takes particular delight in detailing the waterways in Hangzhou. Since this Venitian's and the West's first conception of Jiangnan, Jiangnan was a civilization invested in and informed by its hydrology as much as Venice is entwined to its sea.It [Hangzhou] is situated between a lake of fresh and very clear water on one side, and a river of great magnitude on the other, the waters of which, by a number of canals, large and small, are made to run through every quarter of the city, carrying with them all the filth into the lake, and ultimately to the sea. This, whilst it contributes much to the purity of the air, furnishes a communication by water, in addition to that by land, to all parts of the town; the canals and the streets being of sufficient width to allow of boats on the one, and carriages in the other, conveniently passing, with articles necessary for the consumption of the inhabitants. It is commonly said that the number of bridges of all sizes, amounts to twelve thousand. Those which are thrown over th eprincipal canals and are connected with the main streets, have arches so high, and built with so much skill, that vessels with their masts can pass under them, whilst, at the same time, carts and horses are passing over their heads - so well is the slope from the street adapted to the height of the arch. If they were not in fact so numerous, there would be no convenience crossing from one place to another.
Marco Polo
from Il Milione, 1298
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