| Th Dongbianmen Gate served as one of the major sites of grain reception and dispersal. Chaoyangmen was the other. The Grand Canal, built in the reign of Emperor Suiyangdi during the Sui Dynasty, linked the Yangtze with the Tonghui River in the north. Grain traveled from Hangzhou and the fertile Jiangnan region around Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nanjing to Tianjin and Beijing. The wharf at the end of the Grand Canal was just outside the southeast gate. During times of peace, the soldiers kept the peace and provided safety for the traders who carried goods and valuables. Eventually, they were supplemented by an extensive civil police force, as well. |
