Riverside scenery

A geographical line called "Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River" boundary line runs through the eastern part of Chi-na. The region south of the line records an annual rainfall of more than 800 mm, experiences higher temperatures than the northern areas and has ice-free rivers in winter.

If one were to take a train from Beijing to Shanghai, he would see more and more paddy fields from the window after reach-ing the Huaihe River. Wide rivers and lakes dot the land-scape, complete with beautiful sceneries typical of water towns, and the region is home to the country's five largest freshwater lakes-the Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake, Taihu Lake, Hongze Lake and Chaohu Lake.

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The Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River Geographical Line

The Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River line is an important geographical line in China. Areas south and north of the line are quite different in water and temperature distribution, and crop variety and yield. So the line is not only an important natural geographical boundary, but also a crucial indi-cator of agriculture.

Chinese people traditinally call areas north of the line the northern region, and areas to the south, the southern region. The southern and northern regions differ in many aspects: the former experiences higher temperatures and more rainfall and is dominated by paddy fields. The northern region, on the other hand, has vast areas of dry land. The people in the south prefer rice, while those in the north prefer wheat flour.

A stretch of fertile and low plain areas is common around the freshwater lakes, all of which are situated at less 50 m above the sea level. The sparsely populated plain areas, with good rainfall and high land utilization rate, are important "granaries" in the southern part of China. The flat Yangtze River Delta region and the Taihu Lake Plain have the most typical riverside sceneries, with crisscrossing rivers, thick-ly-dotted lakes, huge stretches of paddy fields, ponds, mulberry gardens, bamboo groves and farmhouses.[1]

Water is a way of life for people in the southern region. They have taken advan-tage of abundant water resources to devel-op irrigation for paddy, to grow lotus and farm fish and shrimps in lakes and ponds. The cobweb-like rivers are vital traffic routes. People use the rivers and lakes to transport self-produced grains, oil, cotton and pods to markets for sale, and buy goods in return.

Abundant water resources make urban environment in the south more beautiful. As a traditional Chinese saying goes: "Just as there is a paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth." Chinese people used to consider Suzhou in Jiangsu and Hangzhou in Zhejiang to be as beau-tiful as paradise. Many other cities in the region south of the Yangtze, such as Wuxi in Jiangsu and Shaoxing in Zhejiang, have beautiful sceneries typical of water towns.[2]

Suzhou has a history of 2,500 years that can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period, when the city was estab-lished as part of the Wu Kingdom. Suzhou has its distinctive features: streets in front of houses and canals and rivulets at the back, with numerous bridges connecting the streets on the two sides. Suzhou has hundreds of bridges of differ-ent shapes, sizes and colors, and is hence referred to as the "Venice of the Orient." Not too long ago, people could fetch water from the canals and rivulets by just opening their back dors. Vegetables, grain and other fodstuf were once carried to the doors of every household through these canals and rivulets from outside the city.

Suzhou's gardens, one of the wonders of Chinese architec-ture, follow the laws of nature. They have hills and ponds with pavilions, terraces and towers, with flower and other types of trees planted in a unique pattern, giving them the look of landscape paintings and making tourists "enjoy the charms of nature without going out of the city."

Hangzhou is famous for its West Lake, the amazing beauty of which can be felt in the poem of Su Dongpo (1037-1101), a great litterateur of the Song Dynasty: "The brimming waves delight the eye on sunny days. The dimming hills give a rare view in rainy haze. The West Lake looks like the fair lady at her best. Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed." The West Lake, with its huge body of water, is surrounded by lush green mountains, and is a treat to the eye throughout all seasons. The beauty and charm of Suzhou and Hangzhou have made them great tourist destinations.

Just like an old Chinese saying, "The wise find pleasure in water, the virtuous, in hills," the beautiful environment in the water towns south of the Yangtze has given birth to great people of letters and wisdom since ancient times. Some of the outstanding litterateurs in modern Chinese history born there were Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Yu Dafu and Ye Shengtao.

Note: 

[1] Water towns south of the Yangtze River are characterized by flat and fertile land and crisscrossing rivers.

[2] "Small bridges, flowing water and households" are basic elements of a typical living environment in Suzhou.