Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 2.1
Beijing's early urban nuclei: Zhongdu City, Tai-ning Palace, and the kernel of Dadu City
Imperial Palace there was in ruins and would have been extremely diffi cult to
rebuild. Worse yet, Zhongdu had but a meager water supply from a small lake (West
Lake, now called Lotus Lake) just west of the city. The complex problems of pro-
viding water for the city, and especially channels for water transport, became more
critical day by day.
Man-made canals were needed, primarily to ensure that the capital could be
supplied with the large quantities of grain it required. During the Jin Dynasty, an
