"Yaowan lies on the midpoint of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and it's a convenient spot for ships and boats to pull in to shore for trading or obtaining supply," Zhang Haolin, deputy general manager of Xinyi Luoma Lake Tourism Development Co., Ltd., a state-owned company in charge of developing the ancient town's tourism, told a media tour group on June 25.

"Hence Yaowan gradually became an important wharf on the canal, where grain, salt, silk, porcelain, and other commodities from around the country were distributed, making it flourish into a trade hub."