For centuries, Beijing depended on grain shipped from the south along the Grand Canal, the longest artificial waterway in the world, and Tongzhou was where the boats arrived. The Tonghui canal connected Tongzhou with the capital, carrying grain, timber and goods to the city's markets and granaries. The Grand Canal, built and rebuilt over more than two thousand years, was listed by UNESCO in 2014, and the Tongzhou section is its northernmost part. Today, the waterfront has been landscaped into parks, with walkways, bridges and the old Ranteng pagoda rising above the water.
Tongzhou has become Beijing's new sub-centre, with government offices moving here and new districts rising around the old town. The Grand Canal Forest Park stretches along the water, with trees, lawns and paths, and people come to stroll, fish and fly kites. The pagoda, an elegant tall brick tower, is a landmark that boatmen used to know they had reached the end of their journey. The new Universal Studios Beijing is also in Tongzhou, a contrast to the history of the canal.
Riding in Beijing has its challenges. Motorcycles without local plates face restrictions in central areas, and foreign riders need special permits; most visitors on two wheels join organised tours. The roads in Tongzhou are wide and modern, with heavy traffic, and the canal side has cycling and walking paths rather than motor roads. Outside the city, the plains to the east are flat and agricultural, while the mountains north and west of Beijing offer twisty roads and the Great Wall. Air quality can be poor in winter, and summer is hot and humid.
Tongzhou has pumps, a supermarket and a few places to eat. Food here is Beijing fare: Peking duck, zhajiangmian, noodles with fermented bean sauce, dumplings and street snacks such as jianbing, a savoury crêpe eaten for breakfast. Tea houses offer a quiet break. Walk along the canal in the evening, when the pagoda is lit and the water reflects the lights, and think of the grain boats that once crowded these waters, after a journey of hundreds of kilometres from the south.