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23-775: The Qinling–Huaihe Line , formed by the Huai River and the Qin Mountains , is sometimes regarded as the geographical dividing line between northern and southern China . This line approximates the 0 °C (32 °F) January isotherm and the 800 millimeters (30 in) isohyet in China. The Huai River originates in Tongbai Mountain in Henan province . It flows through southern Henan, northern Anhui , and northern Jiangsu where it pools into Lake Hongze . Nowadays

46-793: A rhotic accent. Ethnic groups are comparatively more diverse in southern regions. Rhotic accent is usually absent from the Mandarin spoken there. Different dialects are less mutually intelligible, and additional languages such as Cantonese or Hokkien are spoken. Patrilineage organizations are larger and more integrated in rural southern regions, possibly due to merges and competition for territory. A series of studies on regional differences in China suggest that people from places that grow wheat have different social styles and thought styles from those in rice-growing regions. Respondents from northern China are found to be more individualistic, think more analytically, and more open to strangers. Those from

69-543: A broad and level lower course. It was long used to irrigate the surrounding farmlands, and was the center of an extensive network of canals and tributaries. Beginning in 1194, however, the Yellow River to the north repeatedly changed its course southwards to run into the Huai River. The resulting silting was so heavy that after the Yellow River changed back to its northerly course for the most recent time in 1897,

92-624: Is simple and not resilient to droughts. Many southern regions are subtropical and green year round. The winters are short. They often experience typhoons and the East Asian monsoon in the summer. The ecology is complex, and floods are more common. The northern regions are easier to cultivate . Hardy crops such as corn , sorghum , soybeans , and wheat are grown, and one to two crops are produced each year. The growing season lasts four to six months. Wheat-based food such as bread, dumplings , and noodles are more common. Cultivation of

115-579: The Huai River . Running from Qin Mountain in the west to Huai River in the east, it divides eastern China into northern and southern regions that differ from each other in climate, culture, lifestyle, and cuisine. Regions north of the Line tend to be temperate or continental , with snow being a regular feature in winter. Regions south of the Line tend to be subtropical or tropical . In general,

138-400: The Huai River (listed from upstream to downstream) are as follows: Qinling%E2%80%93Huaihe Line The Qinling–Huaihe Line ( Chinese : 秦岭淮河线 ; pinyin : Qínlǐng Huáihé Xiàn ) is a reference line used by geographers to distinguish between northern and southern China , corresponding roughly to the 33rd parallel . Qinling refers to the Qin Mountains , and Huaihe refers to

161-862: The Huai River system with the Xinyi River (part of the Yishusi River system) which exits into the sea at Guanyun in Lianyungang . In part to circumvent flooding, in Jiangsu province the Huai River system is interconnected with different waterways and thereby forms part of the Grand Canal . Historically, the Huai River entered the Yellow Sea at Yunti Pass (modern day Yunti Village, in Huangwei Town of Xiangshui County ) through

184-723: The Huai River then runs southwards as the Sanhe River by way of the Gaoyou Lake and Shaobo Lake , emptying into the Yangtze River at Sanjiangying (三江营) near Yangzhou . There is also a passage called the Huaihe Sea Entryway and Subei Irrigation Canal that passes Huai'an and empties into the sea at Biandan Port. A separate course runs north by way of the Huaimu River and Huai Shu River and connects

207-591: The North had been more developed than the South. That has changed over time and three of the four most developed Tier 1 cities in China are in the South. It was in the Ming dynasty that the economy of the South started to outpace the economy of the North. The gross regional product (GRP) of provinces and counties below the line was equal to those above the line in 1960, but by 2019, the south's GRP had become 83% larger than

230-530: The area suffering droughts in between floods. In the 450 years to 1950, the Huai River saw, on average, 94 major floods per century. Attempts to solve the Huai River's problems have focused on building outlets for the Huai River into the Yangtze River and the sea. Currently, the major part of the river's flow enters the Yangtze River via Lake Hongze. The North Jiangsu Main Irrigation Canal also diverts some of its water along its old historical course to

253-754: The fancy diets of the Southerners, who are physically frail, live in a different environment, and have different stomachs and bowels. During the Republican period , Lu Xun , a major Chinese writer, wrote: According to my observation, Northerners are sincere and honest; Southerners are skilled and quick-minded. These are their respective virtues. Yet sincerity and honesty lead to stupidity, whereas skillfulness and quick-mindedness lead to duplicity. Northern regions of China have long winters that are cold and dry, often below freezing, and long summers that are hot and humid. Transitional periods are short. The ecology

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276-576: The geography of the Huai River basin was changed significantly by the creation of new high lands, lakes, and the built-up silt of the Yellow River's historical southern course. As a result, water from the midsection of the river could not easily flow into the lower section, while water in the lower section could not find an outlet to the sea. The problem worsened in the Second World War , when the Nationalist government, in an attempt to check

299-907: The north has historically suffered from heavier air pollution . Nevertheless, a 2014 poll suggests that southerners also want central heating. Some places just south of the Qinling–Huaihe Line can become quite cold in the winter, making life difficult especially for those who cannot afford electrical heating at the market rate. The line is attributed with serving as a division line in the hydrology and climatology of China. It roughly coincides with: Northern and southern China Northern China ( Chinese : 中国北方 or 中国北部 ; lit. 'China's North') and Southern China (Chinese: 中国南方 or 中国南部 ; lit. 'China's South') are two approximate regions that display certain differences in terms of their geography, demographics, economy, and culture. The Qinling–Daba Mountains serve as

322-518: The north initially developed faster due to planned economic policies , Soviet aid , and its concentration of construction and resource extraction industries. After market reforms , however, the south took the lead due to manufacturing and eventually high-tech industries, as well as continued internal migration into the region. A research showed that life expectancy was slightly higher in Southern China compared to Northern China. In 2018, it

345-767: The north to the south, especially its coastal areas and along major rivers. After the fall of the Han dynasty , The Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589) ruled their respective part of China before re-uniting under the Tang dynasty . During the Qing dynasty , regional differences and identification in China fostered the growth of regional stereotypes. Such stereotypes often appeared in historic chronicles and gazetteers and were based on geographic circumstances, historical and literary associations (e.g. people from Shandong , were considered upright and honest) and Chinese cosmology (as

368-492: The north's. In 1908, Chinese geographer Zhang Xiangwen defined northern China as anything above a line running along the Qinling in the west and the Huai River the east. In the 1950s, when large social projects were common yet the country was poor, it was decided that subsidized district heating systems would only be installed north of the line. Because the major source of heating came from coal-burning plants as of 2010,

391-545: The pace of the Japanese invasion, flooded the lower Huai basin by opening the Yellow River's southern levee. The main stem of the Yellow River flowed through the levee breach for the next nine years, further disrupting the Huai river system. The result of these changes was that water from the Huai River pooled up into Lake Hongze , and then ran southwards towards the Yangtze River. Major and minor floods occurred frequently, with

414-416: The sea, and is planned to be upgraded with a new parallel channel. Several former tributaries also carry some water to the sea. There are many tributaries of the Huai River. There are 15 main tributaries cover an area of more than 2,000 square kilometers (770 sq mi) each, and 21 main tributaries have a catchment area larger than 1,000 square kilometers (390 sq mi). The main tributaries on

437-595: The south was associated with the fire element, Southerners were considered hot-tempered). These differences were reflected in Qing dynasty policies, such as the prohibition on local officials to serve their home areas, as well as conduct of personal and commercial relations. In 1730, the Kangxi Emperor made the observation in the Tingxun Geyan (庭訓格言): The people of the North are strong; they must not copy

460-570: The southern region is hotter, wetter, and much more hilly than the northern region. The line has served as the border between northern and southern Chinese dynasties: between the Northern and Southern dynasties of c. 3th–6th century and between the Southern Song of c. 13th century and its northern neighbor Jin dynasty . Historically, due to being the Cradle of Chinese Civilization,

483-401: The southern regions are more likely to think holistically, interdependent, and draw a larger distinction between friends and strangers. The difference was attributed to the growing of rice, which often requires the sharing labor and managing shared irrigation infrastructure. Traveling between places tends to be easier in northern regions where the terrain is more even. As China modernized,

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506-651: The southern regions began later in history. Warm temperatures and abundant rainfall help produce rice and tropical fruits . Two to three crops can be grown each year, and the growing season lasts nine to twelve months. Rice-based food is more common. Jones Lamprey, a British army surgeon in 1868, writes that northerners have lighter skin tones than southerners, although the shade can change greatly from season to season depending on an individual's exposure to sunlight when performing manual labor outdoors. Northerners are often taller than southerners. Variants of Mandarin are widely spoken in northern regions and often with

529-522: The transition zone between northern and southern China. They approximately coincide with the 0 degree Celsius isotherm in January, the 800 millimetres (31 in) isohyet , and the 2,000-hour sunshine duration contour. The Huai River basin serves a similar role, and the course of the Huaihe has been used to set different policies to the north and the south. Historically, populations migrated from

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