Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Systems in Artificial Watersheds: Evidence From China’s Grand Canal

With the help of relevant historical data, this paper analyzes the characteristics and dominant factors of the spatiotemporal evolution of the urban system in China’s Grand Canal during various historical periods to summarize the unique laws governing the evolution of urban systems in artificial watersheds based on the “UT” theory and the Central Place theory. During China’s feudal period, with the help of convenient canal transport, a “North-South dual-core” urban system formed in China’s Grand Canal, with several “single-center” or “multicenter” urban systems in its subregions. In the 20th century, especially since railway construction in mainland China, the continuous decline in inland river canal transport led to major changes in the urban system but left its main core cities basically unchanged. In the 21st century, the excavation of historical and cultural value has once again revitalized some cities that once flourished along China’s Grand Canal. However, affected by the rapid development of modern transportation, these cities have not recovered their former regional status. The urban system along China’s Grand Canal has not changed much, with only the fine-tuning of regional functional division and the reorientation and transformation of some cities in the urban system of China’s Grand Canal.