Yangzhou Culture and history
		Yangzhou is a quaint and picturesque city with a history of over 2000 year. It used to be called Guangling, Jiangdo, and Huaiyang. Fuchai, the king of the state of Wu, constructed the town of Han and the Han canal here in the year 486 BC. The Han canal was 150 kilometers long and linked the Yangzi River with the Huai River. It was the oldest canal in China. Yangzhou was once a flourishing center of culture. In the Tang Dynasty (618AD-907AD), the great monk, Jianzhen, sailed from Yangzhou to Japan and devoted himself to the exchange of the Sino-Japanese culture. Many scholars, painters and poets lived or traveled here, including four famous poets of the Tang Dynasty, Libai, Baijuyi, Liuyuxi, and Menghaoran. During the Yuan Dynasty, Marco polo stayed here as the governor for 3 years. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Yangzhou got a new lease of life as a salt-trading center. The period also saw a group of painters known as the 'Eight Eccentrics' break away from traditional methods, creating a style of natural painting that influenced the course of art in China. Yangzhou has many historic relics, including the Grand Canal, the Daming Monastery that was built 1500 years ago, and palaces built by Emperor Yang Di (605AD-618AD) and by Emperor Qianlong(1736-1796). Well-known handicrafts include lacquer wares, jade wares, paper-cut, and potted landscapes. The traditional local operas are distinctive. The cuisine of Yangzhou is one of the four most famous cuisine specialties of China.