The influence of the Yangtze River

West China’s heartland is the fertile Red Basin of Sichuan, which is surrounded by fields and mountains. Here, the rainfall is predictably heavy and the climate humid, with a dampness that cloaks the air for most of the year. During the summer months, ocean-going vessels make their way up the Yangtze River as far inland as Wuhan, and flat-bottomed barges can be taken upstream as far as Chongqing, bringing with them the produce from other provinces to augment the kitchens of the area. The climate is relatively mild, with fertile soil, making the Red Basin one of the most productive, intensely cultivated and densely populated regions in the whole of China.