Taixing section of the Rutai Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: txfabu]
In line with efforts to standardize geographic name management and safeguard cultural heritage, six provincial departments — including the departments of civil affairs and housing and urban-rural development — have jointly released the 2025 list of provincial-level cultural heritage items.
The Rutai Canal, a key waterway linking Taixing city in Taizhou and Rugao city in Nantong, has earned recognition in the transportation facilities category for its historical significance as a river channel, canal, and navigable route.
The Taixing section of the Rutai Canal stretches 44.33 kilometers and serves as an essential regional river in eastern Jiangsu's Tongnan Plain river system. It supports irrigation, drainage, and navigation, with the port gate connecting to the Yangtze River at the western end and the Rutai Canal control gate at the eastern Taixing-Rugao boundary, primarily used for flood control.
This accolade underscores the canal's enduring cultural and historical value.