The City of Heaven

Marco's description of Hangzhou is his most detailed and it sort of represents all these magnificent cities that we have passed through. From the Yangtze River, Marco would follow the Grand Canal through the cities of Chongjiang, Changzhou, and Suzhou. The city was called Kinze by Marco and is sometimes referred to as Zing Zai and Linan. Located about 1100 miles from Beijing, it marked the end of the Grand Canal, which had reached the city in 609.