The three steps
As we go from eastern China to the west, the altitude continues to increase. The lowest altitudes can be found on the east coast, the “first” step, with the highest mountains located on the west. In between, the land increasingly grows in altitude.
First step, lowest altitudes
The eastern region of China benefits from both having the lowest altitude and also directly bordering the Pacific Ocean.
- Direct access to international ocean trade routes. The only open port in China for a long time was located in Canton, in the southeast, now Guangdong.
- Being close to the ocean meant constant, consistent rainfall, good for crops.
- Less mountainous terrain meant more livable areas, a greater population, greater density of people, and less physically separated regions.
As a result many of China’s major cities originated along the east coast.
Third step, highest altitudes
Little rainfall reached these areas.
East, northwest, and southwest
This refers to the three main ecological regions that China is comprised of.
- In the east there are plentiful rivers and little mountainous terrain. River lowlands.
- Northwest China has higher altitudes but not as much as the southwest. It is more known for its hot conditions and deserts. Arid China.
- Refers to the most northern parts of China. Most of the west is dominated by mountains. The deserts are all located towards the top.
- Southwest China is where most of the highest mountains are. Highland China.
- That’s where Tibet and Mount Everest are, for context.
China proper, outer China
China proper
Out of the last three Chinese dynasties (Yuan, Ming, Qing, in that order) only the Ming was Han-controlled, and it’s where China’s territory shrunk down to only China proper.
Really spans the entire eastern half of the country, from the coastlines to about where the mountains start getting really serious.
- Regions were well connected and integrated.
- Farmers traded all up and down the coast.
- Majority population was Han Chinese.
- China’s great rivers all originate here: Yellow River in the north, Huai River in the middle, and the Yangtze River to the south.
- Major cities are distributed all along these rivers.
Outer China
Refers to the other regions in the western half of China.
Mountainous terrain largely segregated different groups and resulted in many minority groups residing in different areas of this half. This is in contrast to the majority-Han in the east.
North and south China
The Yellow River is associated with northern China while the Yangtze River is associated with the south. Huai River, which runs in the middle of the two, is a commonly accepted point that splits the empire into two halves.
North
Largely flat with minimal natural barriers.
- Hence the separation between north and south in western China, because the terrain is simply too different.
- As a result, dialects were much more unified in the north, speaking mostly Mandarin.
- Grew wheat, sorghum, millet, corn, and soybeans. Ate more wheat-based food.
Yellow River
Got its name for carrying lots of sand and mud in its water. It carved through very erodible land. This allowed people to carve into the rock and live in caves.
The number one priority of every emperor is to control this river. This is because changing its course/direction of flow changes the ability for people to live in that region, which can become dry and kill villages off.
- Tremendous amount of labor and engineering to control the river, drain the eroding silt, etc.
- Efforts were mostly in vain. As a result many people were forced to move south to live near the Yangtze
No one really wanted to live near the river, because it was so turbulent and flooded frequently. This is why the Communist Party would eventually flee there.
South
More natural barriers with regions naturally separated by mountains.
- Led to a lot, lot more dialects in the south.
- Yangtze River was much less turbulent than the Yellow River, so it was easier to live closer to
- Could be used to travel and navigate. Venice-like canals formed
- Mostly grew rice and ate rice-based food. Rice paddies were common scenery along the mountain sides.