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The Yellow River
Named for the large quantities of yellowish silt deposited along its banks and in its waters, the famous Yellow River begins in Qinghai in the north-west, flows through many provinces, and empties into the Bo Hai Basin north of the Shandong Peninsula. It runs for an amazing 4,700km (2,940 miles), and has been the cause of many catastrophic floods throughout China’s history.
Despite this, the Yellow River is also known as the ‘Mother River’ of China and the ‘cradle of Chinese civilization’. The agricultural areas of Shandong and Henan provinces are irrigated by the Yellow River on its way to the sea. The river also forms the border of Shanxi province, whose central valley is its economic heart, with rich farmlands and flourishing livestock. This area is also steeped in history, and the many temples and monasteries that are present are a reminder that this province was once the political and cultural pulse of China.