Source: CCTV.com

04-28-2009 09:42

The Yellow River is the second-longest river in China – the longest being, of course, the Yangtze. At 5,464 kilometers, the Yellow River is also the sixth longest river in the world. With its source in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in China’s west, it crosses nine provinces before emptying into the Bohai Sea. The name "Yellow River" comes from the perennial ochre colour of the muddy waters in its lower reaches.

The Yellow River is the second-longest river in China

In China, it goes by other names, too – "Mother River" and "Cradle of Chinese civilization", for instance. These names reflect the fact that the Yellow River basin was the birthplace of northern Chinese civilization. However, the river is known by another name, which reflects its less friendly side. It’s China’s sorrow – a reference to the flooding that frequently blights its lower reaches.

Well, in today’s programme, we’re beginning a major series about the Yellow River, in which we’ll explore the role it has played in history and the development of Chinese civilization.

 

Editor:Yang Jie