Home / Travel / Travelogue Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
The Yangtze River: China's southern belle
Adjust font size:



Cruise liners sail through Three Gorges on the Yangtze River. Liu Junfeng

Both the Yellow and the Yangtze rivers are considered cradles of the Chinese civilization. Snaking 6,300 km between western China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the East China Sea, the Yangtze River is often said to be the dividing line between North and South China. Geographers, however, technically regard Qinling Mountain and Huaihe River as the precise line of demarcation.

Because of the difficulty of crossing the river, the Yangtze historically served as the political boundary between forces in the north and south. Many significant battles took place on or near the river - the most famous being the Battle of Red Cliffs in AD 208, during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280).

As the world's third longest river and Asia's longest river, the Yangtze spans many diverse regions, and is known by several names.

In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the river is known as Tongtian He, or Travelling-Through-the-Heavens River. Where it borders Sichuan and runs into Yunnan province, it is referred to as Jinsha Jiang, or River of Golden Sand. Only in its lower reaches is the great river referred to by the name most common to foreigners: the Yangtze.

For over two centuries, the Yangtze has served as a transportation highway and commercial thoroughfare. Ocean-going vessels can travel up the river by 1,000 km, and steamers can navigate up as far as Yichang, in the middle of China. Shanghai, China's largest metropolis, is known as the gateway to the Yangtze, as the city spans the Huangpu tributary just south of the river's mouth.

Numerous cities are located on the shore of the Yangtze. One is Nanjing, once known as the "South Capital" in China. Dating back at least two and a half millennia, Nanjing has been the capital of ten dynasties including the celebrated Ming (1368-1644).

1   2    


Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous
China Archives
Related >>
- No stop on freeways in Yangtze River Delta
- Bump-shielding apparatus installed on Yangtze River
- Conservation center built for rare fish in Yangtze River
- Clean and green programs along the Yangtze River
- Olympic torch to cross Yangtze River in Nantong
Most Viewed >>
- A collection of photos by daughter-in-law of late Chairman Mao
- Plan a half-day trip to explore a genuine Beijing
- Can you do the Dadu on 15 bucks a day?
- 11 summer escapes across the country
- Tourism recovering in quake-hit Sichuan