Yuan Dynasty granary ruins indicate multi-ethnic society along Grand Canal

Photo released on Dec. 19, 2024 shows a granary ruin dating to the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) along the Grand Canal has been excavated for the first time in Wuqing District of Tianjin.(Photo/China News Service)

(ECNS) -- A granary ruin dating to the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) along the Grand Canal has been excavated for the first time in Wuqing District of Tianjin, according to Tianjin Cultural Heritage Conservation Center on Thursday.

The granary is located at the Shisicang Site, or "Fourteen Granaries", comprising the ruins of grain transport warehouses along the Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It marks a significant achievement in the archaeological study of the Grand Canal in China and provides new physical evidence on the formation and development of a unified, multi-ethnic China in ancient times

Excavation lasted from September through December, covering an area of 1,538 square meters, and revealing the granary and a cluster of 12 building foundations. The south facing the granary measures approximately 42.9 meters in length and 15.2 meters in width.

The remains were part of an imperial granary complex originally built during the Yuan Dynasty and abandoned in the early to mid-Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).