Yangtze River History

Yangtze River History - Brief Introduction

Yangtze River is the longest river in China. In ancient, it was named "River" or "Great River", and first presented in The Book of Odes. Yangtze river lasted 6300 kilometers, and the amount of water flow into the sea reached one trillion cubic meters and that's the twenty times of Yellow River. The drainage area of Yangtze River covered 1.8 million square kilometers, including more than 700 anabranches. Yangtze River is the greatest river in China for its length, water amount and anabranches. As this advantage, Yangtze River Cruises is developing quickly. From the ancient, Yangtze River valley is one  of the most important region of political, economy and culture. In the long history, Yangtze River also has a great Change.

Yangtze River History - Legend about Yangtze River

In remote antiquity legend, Yu "chiseled the river to dredge nine ways" for controlling the flood. It is said that Yu was born in Wenchuan county, Sichuan province. He was ever channelized Ming River in the Iron Panther Ridge in Wenchuan county, "made a nick in Mt. Wu to lead the river pass to east". Some rumor also said Yu went to the Tushan, Anhui province and kueichi, Chekiang province to govern the Yangtze midstream and downstream water system. At last, Yu made the Yangtze River" flow to the Five Lakes area in the east and make benefit to the people in Jinchu, Yu-yue and Nanyi. The record in Shui Jing Zhu (commentary on the Waterways Classic) which was written by Li Daoyuan is: The Wu gorge is so narrow that river is hard to pass, so the king asked Ao Ling (who is a legendary figure in the early Warring states period) to dig Wu gorge, make the river can pass from the land of Shu. These legends about Yu channelize river and Ao Ling dig Wu gorge are the reflection of people's strong desire in long time fighting with the flood. Obviously, Yangtze River is not the work of people, but nature.

Yangtze River History - Formation of Yangtze River

Immemorial Yangtze River can trace back to the Triassic period, about 200 million years ago. At that time, the terrain of the middle land in China is high in the east and low in the west. Today's west of Wu gorge and Xi Ling Gorge which is belongs to Yangtze River basin is one part of the vast Tethys, also a wide gulf connected with the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. As a strong orogenetic movement in 100 billion years ago, the Heng-tuan Mountain came into being, Qing Ling Mountain became higher, Tethys quitted from today's Sichuan, Qinghai, Tibet and the west of Guizhou and Guangxi and there was a vast basin which is called Sichuan Basin presented in the crossing of Xi Ling, Heng-tuan Mountain and Yunnan-Kweichow plateau. That time, this basin is an inland water system which is isolated with the Dongting Basin in the east of Wu gorge and Xi Ling gorge. Mt. Wu became the water-shed of Sichuan Basin and Dongting Basin. About 70 million years ago, there was a Yanshan movement made the Sichan Basin became higher and the Dongting Basin lower. The Tethys in west of Hubei province germinate, stretched to Sichuan Basin. For the Himalaya orogenetic movement about 40 million years ago, the whole river basin became higher; especially the upstream formed the mountain, plateau and valley. The midstream and downstream formed the hills and mountain regions with little movement. At the same time, the Tethys which stretched to Sichuan Basin connected with the Sichuan Basin water system. Because of the terrain is high in the west and low in the east, the different water resources converge into the great surging river. That's how Yangtze River came into being.

Yangtze River History - The Importance of Yangtze River

In the long history of China, Yangtze River basin also developed constantly. Yangtze River basin always the important political, economy and culture center in the history. The Yangtze River also promoted the coastal city's development. That's why so many people want to take Yangtze Cruise to enjoy the scenery along Yangtze River.