c.1650AD.
“...And the greateft part of thefe Sluces are pafs'd through with a great deal of eafe. But there are fome which are not to be fhot, but with a great deal of Pains and Danger. More efpecially one, which the Chinefes call Tien Fi-cha, or the Queen and Miftrefs of Heaven; thereby to exprefs in Hyperbolical Terms the extraordinary Height of it. When the Barks are row'd against the Stream, and come to the bottom of this Sluce, the Watermen faften to the Prow a great number of Cables and Cordage, which are drawn on both fides of the Canal, by four or Five Hundred Men, and fometimes more, according to the Burthen of the Veffel, and the Weight of the Lading. Others at the fame time labour at Capftanes plac'd upon the Walls of the Sluce, which are very broad and built of Free-Stone. Besides the Ropes already mention'd, there are others which are very strong, wound about great Pilars of Stone or Wood to hold the veffel if any of the other Cordage fhould chance to break. When these Cords are all faften'd, they begin to Haule by degrees, as it were keeping time to the found of a Bafon*, upon which they knock at firft but foftly, and with fome intervals between the ftroakes : but when half the Bark at leaft is rais'd to the height of the upper Channel, in regard the Current is then much ftronger, they knock upon the Bafon with thicker ftroaks; at what time the Four or Five Hundred Haule all together with loud Hey Boys, and give fuch a stretch, that the Veffel mounts up in a moment, and is fecur'd in the dead Water between the fides of the Canal and the middle of the of the Current.”
[A New History of China, Magalhaens, 1688]

* Gong.
Grand Canal (China)