{"id":15410,"date":"2024-01-05T22:05:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T21:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=15410"},"modified":"2024-01-05T22:05:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T21:05:09","slug":"why-is-the-yangtze-river-important-to-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/why-is-the-yangtze-river-important-to-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is The Yangtze River Important To China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In China, the Yangtze River has been an integral part of its history and culture for thousands of years. Travelling for over 6,000 kilometres, the Yangtze has provided an important means of transportation, irrigation, and sustenance for many of China’s inhabitants. This river, that flows east-northeast from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau through the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu would long remain one of the most significant waterways in Asia.<\/p>\n

The Chinese have a deep-rooted reverence for the river. “The Yangtze is the mother of numerous Chinese rivers,” one local resident said. “It stands for fertility, abundance and protection. It is a godmother to the Chinese people.” The Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world and the longest river in China, with a length of 6,380 kilometres.<\/p>\n

For centuries, the Yangtze has served as an important trading route, connecting the middle and lower reaches of China. This made it an important transportation artery for goods, minerals, and ideas. It has been a crucial source of water for many of China’s major cities, and provides irrigation for crops, including those for the nation’s most important crops, rice and wheat. It has also provided a source of hydropower for electric and thermal energy.<\/p>\n

In modern times, the Yangtze has become a major artery for international trade. The Chinese government has invested heavily in infrastructure around the river to facilitate trade and travel, as well as to provide hydroelectric power and drinking water. The immense scale of the river has made it an ideal site for large-scale engineering projects, most notably the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower station. The dam has the potential to generate 84.7 billion kilowatts, making it a vital energy source for the country.<\/p>\n