The Yangtze River is the longest river in China, stretching from Tibetan Plateau to East China Sea for about 3,900 miles (6,300 kilometers). This total length includes its headwaters and upper reach rivers of different names. The name Yangtze[1] refers to its middle and lower reaches from Yibin[2]in Sichuan Province to Shanghai. In Chinese, this great river is known as the “Long River,” Chang-jiang.
Traditionally, the Tuotuo[3] River was believed to be the headstream of the Long River. Originated from the peak of Geladaindong Glacier of TanggulaMountains, it flows eastwards and converges from the south with the Dangqu[4] River, which had been identified in recent geographic studies to be the true source of the Long River. Together with a northern source, the Chumar, they form the Tongtian[5] River, “the river leading to heaven.”
The TongtianRiver runs about 505 miles (813 kilometers) along the southern slope of the BayankharMountains, parallel with the Yellow River on the north. As the Yellow River looping northwards in Lanzhou, the Tongtian River merges with the Batang[6] River in Yushu County and becomes the Jinsha River,[7] “Golden Sands River,” flowing southwards towards Yunnan, the southwestern-most province of China.
In northwestern corner of Yunnan, before making a 180° bend in Shigu[8] village, the Jinsha runs narrowly parallel with Lancang (Mekongin Vietnam) and Nu[9] (Salweenor Thanlwin in Myanmar and Thailand) Rivers, separated only by high mountains. This region has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, “Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas.”[10] Recognized for its unique geographical feature, biodiversity, and cultural richness[11], historically, this region was considered an undesirable place of verminous infections and diseases, to where dissident officials were banished. Tribal languages made communications impossible. Different religious and cultural practices added to the challenges. Such was the fate of many exiled literary figures who documented their experiences and expressed their sorrows in their writings.[12]
After its confluence with the Yalong River in Panzhihuacity, the Jinsha forms the Yunnan-Sichuan provincial boarder until merging with the Min River[13] at Yibin, where it becomes the Long River. Continuing eastwards, already carrying significant water volume, the Long River joins another tributary, the Jialing River[14] in Chongqing, garnering more hydraulic energy. With which, it cut through the Wu Mountain from Baidicheng of Chongqing Municipality to Yichang[15]of Hubei Province, forming the “Three Gorges.[16]”
For centuries, the Three Gorges were admired for their stunning scenery—hundreds of miles of continuous rocky cliffs, great waterfalls, forests, and natural lives. Li Bai of Tang Dynasty received pardon while on his way to exile in today’s Guizhou Province. Passing the Three Gorges on the journey home, he wrote:
朝辭白帝彩雲間, 千里江陵一日還
兩岸猿聲啼不住, 輕舟已過萬重山
Departing from Baidi in the morning amid colorful clouds,
Arriving in Jianglin, thousand miles away, in a day.[17]
As I listened to calls of apes, sounding continuously from both banks,
My light vessel had passed ten thousand folds of mountains.
The poem reflected his joyful—almost triumphant—mood. We also learned the speed of the current as well as the fanciful surrounding of this region. [18] Today, this area is known to the world for the controversial construction of the Three Gorges Dam.
East of the Wu Mountain, in its middle and lower reaches, the Long River flows through six provinces before draining into the East China Sea in Shanghai.[19] The entire region, covering about 77,220 square miles (200,000 square kilometers) of flatland, has a large concentration of lakes. Among them are two of the largest freshwater lakes in China: Dongting and Poyan, both connected to the Long River.[20]
Dongting Lake, known for its natural beauty, was a familiar theme in paintings and poetry. It receives water from the Long River on its western end. Like a heart circulating blood, it then releases the water back into the river in Yueyan[21] on its eastern end. Depending on the volume of water from the Long River, the size of Dongting varies seasonally. Further east, the water level of the Long River also contributes to seasonal changes in size and natural conditions of Poyan Lake. Extensive floods are frequent phenomena in the region during raining season.[22] In the attempts of regulating the water flow, artificial management systems including the Three Gorges Dam were constructed, causing drastic changes to the natural habitats and agricultural conditions.[23]
The final stretch of the Long River, the Yangtze Delta, is an alluvium plain with rich soil. The abundance of agricultural and fishing productions brought it the name of 魚米之鄉—land of fish and rice in direct translation.[24] This region is also known for its silk textiles, both in quantity and in quality. The southern portion of the Delta, known as Jiangnan— “South of the River,” is one of the most prosperous regions of China. It is home of several major metropolitans including Nanjing and Shanghai.
In late Spring and Autumn period, around 5th century BC, the States of Wu and Yue held dominions in Jiangnan.[25] Since then the term “Wu-Yue” has been used to characterize the cultural and linguistic traditions of the region. While the northern states constantly struggled with invasions from Mongolians and Turks as well as floods of the Yellow River, the situation in the South remained relatively stable. The civilization of the Central Plain gradually shifted southwards and integrated with regional traditions. Nevertheless, there are appreciable differences between the northern and southern cultures.
The northern ideology centered around Confucianism: dignified and decorous; the southern mentality was casual, adventurous, and personal. The Wu dialects are softer, more legato and nasal than the languages of the North.[26] The writing style of the northern authors was simple and down-to-earth; the southern approach was elaborate and graceful. The music of the North was elegant and ceremonial; in the South, it was more tuneful and informal.[27] The northern edifices were grand and formal; the southern architectural designs, focusing on the blending of natural scenery, especially bodies of water, with man-made structures, were pleasing to the eyes.
Nanjing, literally the “Southern Capital,” has been a strategic town since the 3rd century. During the Tang and Song dynasties, its political importance continued to grow. Stability in the area stimulated economic and cultural developments. Jiangnan became a magnet for poets, painters, and musicians.[28]
It is not unreasonable to say that Chinese culture was born in the North, cradled by the Yellow River, but blossomed in the South, nourished by the Long River.
[1] Yangtze is a variant of Yangzi, the name of an old ferry Yangzijin楊子津. Located on the north bank of the river, it was an important military and commercial crossing since the late sixth century.
[2] 宜賓.
[3] 沱沱河. Ulaan Mörön in Mongolian, Wūlánmùlún in pinyin, meaning the “Red River.” It is also called the Muluwusu River木魯烏蘇河 in some early sources: an earlier map using the names to’-to’ and Wuluwusu (jpg)
[4] 各拉丹冬峰; 唐古拉山脈; 當曲河, Dangqu is also called the Akedamu River. See the map cited above.
[5] 楚瑪爾河. Chumar_de_Wiki (auf Deutsch); map of headwaters of the Yangtze (jpg)
通天河.
[6] 巴塘河
[7] 玉樹; 金沙江
[8] 石鼓村
[9] Lanchang [lán-tsɑŋ], 瀾滄江; Nu, 怒江, “Angery” or “Raging” River.
[10] UNESCO_list/1083/; UNESCO_en/list/1083/video/
[11] Twenty-five of the fifty-six ethnic minority groups recognized by the Chinese government reside in Yunnan.
[12] Throughout Chinese history, especially during prosperous times, the capitals were located in the North. Most regions south of the Long River were thought to be less desirable. The severer the punishments, the further away from the capital the exiles would be sent.
[13] 雅礱江, 攀枝花, 岷江
[14] 嘉陵江
[15] 巫山, 白帝城.
The surrounding mountains and the rivers provided Chongqing the geographical advantage as the provisional capital of the Republic of China, during the second Sino-Japanese war (November 1937- May 1946).
Yichang, 宜昌
[16] This section of the Long River is named locally as the Chuan River 川江.
The three gorges are: Qutang Gorge瞿塘峽, Wu Gorge巫峽, Xiling Gorge西陵峽. Three_Gorges_Map.png
[17] 里, here translated as miles, is a traditional unit of distance. The exact length varied from dynasty to dynasty.
[18] The content drew references from a fifth-century source Commentary on the Water Classic 水經注. The source text in its entirety is quoted in 長江三峽#自然景觀_zh-tw_Wiki (中文繁體)
[19] The provinces are Hubei 湖北, Hunan 湖南, Jiangxi 江西, Anhui 安徽, Jiangsu 江蘇, Zhejiang 浙江.
[20] 洞庭湖, 鄱陽湖
[21] 岳陽
[22] Dongting-Lake_Britannica, Lake-Poyang_Britannica
[23] Dongting_Lake#Environmental_issues_Wiki, Poyang_Lake#Environmental_issues_Wiki
[24] Northern Chinese cuisines are based on wheat products while rice is the staple in the south.
[25] Spring_and_Autumn_period_Wiki;
Map:Chinese_plain_5c._BC_with_Yue-en.png
[26] 吳儂軟語. Wu_Chinese_Wiki
[27] Yayue 雅樂, literally “elegant music,” was the Confucian ceremonial court music of the Zhou Dynasty. YouTube: Chinese Court Music;
Confucian Ritual Dance and Music (Taipei, Confucius Temple).
It later influenced musical tradition of Korea and Japan. Jiangnan sizhu江南絲竹, literally “Jiangnan silk and bamboo,” was the traditional folk music of southeastern China.
Jiangnan_sizhu_Wiki,
Jiangnan sizhu, “Walking the Street 行街,” China National Traditional Orchestra
[28] Nanjing_Wiki
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#/media/File:Chinese_plain_5c._BC_with_Yue-en.png){kind=link}
