《明史·志·卷六十一》
淮、扬到京口以南的河道，全都叫做转运河，而从瓜、仪直达淮安的，又叫做南河，从黄河直达丰、沛的叫做中河，从山东直达天津的叫做北河，从天津直达张家湾的叫做通济河，而总名叫做漕河。
淮、扬至京口以南之河，通谓之转运河，而由瓜、仪达淮安者，又谓之南河，由黄河达丰、沛曰中河，由山东达天津曰北河，由天津达张家湾曰通济河，而总名曰漕河。
The waterways from Huaiyang to south of Jingkou are all called the Grand Canal, and the one leading directly from Guayi to Huai'an is called the South River, and the one leading directly from the Yellow River to Fengpei is called the Middle River, and the one leading directly from Shandong to Tianjin is called the North River, and the one leading directly from Tianjin to Zhangjiawan is called the Tongji River, and the general name is the Cao River.