Hunan stands at the crossroads of China’s historical lines of communication—the great waterway of the Yangtze River, which flows from Szechwan Province to the sea, and the Imperial Highway, running from Canton northward to Peking. Railway construction began in 1912, and the first line was between Wu-han and Chu-chou; From Chu-chou, the Che–Kan Railway runs east to Kiangsi Province and also to Chekiang and Fukien on the east coast. Another railway runs from Hsiang-t’an westward to Kweichow Province, opening up the hitherto remote western lands, and a second north–south line has been built through western Hunan. Shipping is another important means of transportation, as about one-fourth of Hunan’s goods are moved by water. One main trunk road runs from north to south, following the Peking–Canton railway into Kwangsi. Three other main routes run from east to west and are of growing importance because they open up areas not served by the railways.