滔滔东海潮,浩浩长江口,有个喇叭形的古老港口,就是曾被誉称“六国码头”“天下第一码头”的刘家港。当年吴淞港淤塞废弃,此港因条件优越,于元明雄峙江海,成为我国最大的海港之一。刘家港开发始于元时,发展海运、漕运,一时番商云集,外通琉球、高丽、日本等国。这个天然良港,使太仓滨海乡村一跃成为“甲于东南”的“万家之邑”。刘家港更大规模开发是明永乐初。朱棣决定派使者通西洋,命户部尚书开浚娄江和刘家港口,水宽三里,水深增加,直达苏州,沟通太湖平原,使港口环境大为改善。永乐二年建成远洋航海基地。 Tide East China Sea, the mighty Yangtze Estuary, there is a trumpet-shaped ancient port, is known as the “six-nation terminal” “the world’s first terminal ” Liujiagang. Wusong Port that year was clogged obsolete, this port because of the superior conditions, Yu Yuan Ming Xiong Zhi Jianghai, China’s largest seaport. Liujiagang development began in the Yuan Dynasty, the development of maritime transport, water transport, temporary business gathered, outside pass Ryukyu, Korea, Japan and other countries. This natural harbor makes the coastal village of Taicang jump into a “A Southeast ” “10,000 homes ”. Liujiagang more large-scale development is the beginning of Ming Yongle. Zhu Di decided to send the messengers to the west and ordered his family to open the Loujiang and Liujia ports with a water depth of three years. The depth of water increased to directly reach the Suzhou and communicate with the Taihu Plain, thus greatly improving the port environment. Yongle built ocean shipping base for two years.