Xiang River
Xiang | ||
---|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin Xiāngshǔi | | |
Wade–Giles | Hsiang Shui | |
IPA | [ɕjáŋ.ʂwèɪ] |
The Xiang River is the chief river of the Lake Dongting drainage system of the middle Yangtze, the largest river in Hunan Province, China. It is the second-largest tributary (after the Min River) in terms of surface runoff, the fifth-largest tributary by drainage area of the Yangtze tributaries. The river flows generally northeast through the provinces of Guangxi and Hunan, its tributaries reaching into Jiangxi and Guangdong.
Traditionally, it was regarded that the West (left) Branch is the Main Stream of the Upper Xiang, which rises in the Haiyang Mountains between Xing'an and Lingchuan counties of Guangxi. In the 1st national water census of China in 2011, the East Branch Xiao River,[1] was identified as the Main Stem of the Upper Xiang. The Ping Island of Yongzhou is the meeting of the two streams, the West source originating from Guangxi and the East source of the Xiao River originating from Lanshan County of Hunan.[2]
With the tributaries, the Xiang has a river basin area of 94,721 square kilometres (36,572 sq mi), of which Hunan has an area of 85,383 square kilometres (32,967 sq mi).[3] In a situation of Guangxi source, the Xiang has a length of 844 kilometres (524 mi); In another situation of Xiao River as the main source stream, the Xiang has a length of 948 kilometres (589 mi).[1]
Geography
The Upper Xiang River has two large Branches, the West (left) and East (right). The West Branch is traditionally known as the main stream, originating from the
Upper Course
The Left Branch, also known as the West Branch of the upper course is traditionally known the upper Xiang River, the portion of the Xiang River upstream called Xiangshui River (湘水). From the headwaters at Xing'an County, Guangxi, the West Branch flows approximately 261 kilometres (162 mi) to Ping Island of Yongzhou, where it is joined by the Xiao River to form the middle Xiang River.[5]
Historically it was recognized that the headwaters of the Xiang rise in
Xiao River
The Xiao River is the East Branch of the upper course. As of 2011 Water Census of China, it may be regarded as the Main Stream of the upper Xiang River. Xiao rises in Xiangjiangyuan Township of Lanshan County, from the headwaters to Ping Island at the confluence with the West Branch (Left Branch) from Guangxi, it runs 365 kilometres (227 mi). With the tributaries, the Xiao River has a drainage basin area of 12,094 square kilometres (4,670 sq mi).[1]
Tributaries
In culture
In the
The late Tang Dynasty poet Yu Wuling is supposed to have been fond of the scenery along the Xiang River.[7]
The
Major cities along the river
See also
- Dongting Lake
- List of Chinese rivers
- Xiaoxiang
References
Citations
- ^ a b c 湘江源头在湖南蓝山, 湘江干流全长948公里, 流域面积94,721平方公里 - When the source stream of the Xiang is the Xiao, beginning in Lanshan County, the main river of the Xiang has a length of 948 kilometres (589 mi) with a drainage basin area of 94,721 square kilometres (36,572 sq mi): hn.xinhuanet.com or rednet.cn (21-May-13)
- ^ A misinformation of millennium of years for the source of Xiangjiang River - 湘江源头,为何误传千年: voc.com.cn (22-May-13), rednet.cn (24-Mar-15), ifeng.com (22-May-13), sohu.com (15-May-16), (22-May-13)
- ^ The river basin area in Hunan, according to Hunan 11th Five-year Plan on Water Conservation - 湖南省“十一五”水利发展规划: fgw.hunan.gov.cn or findlaw.cn
- ^ first national water census of China: chinadaily.com.cn (20-Dec-11) or chinadaily.com.cn (18-Mar-11)
- ^ about Xiang River in Guangxi Reachers, according to the Guangxi General Description (广西通志)/Geographica of Guangxi (地理志)/Waters and Rivers (水系水文) - the Yangtze River System (长江水系), see gxdqw.com (the Yangtze River System in Guangxi)
- ^ Lingqu Canal (Xiang'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Qin Dynasty) (Nomination for the UNESCO Heritage List)
- ^ Ueki et al. 1999, pp. 133–4.
Sources
- "Xiang River", Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009.
- OCLC 41025662.