Wu Zhong and The Governance of The Tonghui Canal During The Ming Dynasty

Abstract

Wu Zhong (吴仲) played a pivotal yet underexplored role in the restoration and governance of the Tonghui Canal during the Ming dynasty. This study critically examines his multifaceted contributions as a hydraulic engineer, policymaker, and historiographer. It explores how he led the technical and administrative efforts in restoring the Tonghui Canal and evaluates his intellectual legacy, especially through his authorship of the Gazetteer of the Tonghui Canal (通惠河志), which offers valuable insights into the canal’s history and governance. Addressing the scholarly gap concerning Wu Zhong’s historical significance, this research employs library research and qualitative textual analysis to reconstruct the historical, technical, and institutional dimensions of his work. The findings demonstrate that Wu Zhong’s engineering initiatives significantly enhanced transportation efficiency, reinforced political stability, and stimulated economic growth in the Beijing region. His policy advocacy, conveyed through strategic memorials and institutional reforms, contributed to long-term improvements in water conservancy and urban logistics. Furthermore, his compilation of the Gazetteer of the Tonghui Canal provided an enduring epistemic foundation for subsequent hydraulic governance and historiography. By reassessing Wu Zhong’s contributions, this study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the intersection between technology, statecraft, and knowledge production in the Ming dynasty. It concludes that Wu Zhong’s leadership and intellectual legacy generated lasting societal and scholarly impacts, positioning him as a central figure in the development of Ming dynasty infrastructure and governance.

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