Fen River
Encyclopedia
The Fen River drains the center of Shanxi
Province, China
. It rises in the Guancen Mountains of Ningwu County
in northeast Shanxi
, flows southeast into the basin of Taiyuan
, and then south through the central valley of Shanxi
before turning west to join the Yellow River
west of Hejin. The Fen and the Wei River
s are the two largest tributaries of the Yellow River. The river is 694 km long and drains an area of 39,417 km2, 25.3% of the area of Shanxi
Province.
. The river nurtured the 2500-year-old Sanjin Civilization and has since been called the "Mother River of People" in Shanxi
.
Some Chinese historians have connected the Fen with the ancient Ji River
mentioned by Sima Qian
and others, who credit it with the origin of the Yellow Emperor
and his development of Chinese civilization.
, Linfen
, Houma
, Hejin.
As with any river that flows through a city, the Fen River added extra charm to the city of Taiyuan
. The construction of dams upstream, however, reduced the once-abundant flow of the river to a mere trickle, and the river bed went dry.
In 1990s, the municipal government of Taiyuan
built artificial and removable structures across the river at different locations to create reservoirs of water for landscaping purposes. The surface area of these reservoirs amounts to 1.3 million square meters and, along with newly created vegetation
of 1.3 million square meters on the banks, forms the Fen River Park.
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It rises in the Guancen Mountains of Ningwu County
Ningwu County
Ningwu County is a district of Shanxi, China. It is under the administration of Xinzhou city.-References:*...
in northeast Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, flows southeast into the basin of Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, and then south through the central valley of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
before turning west to join the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
west of Hejin. The Fen and the Wei River
Wei River
The Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
s are the two largest tributaries of the Yellow River. The river is 694 km long and drains an area of 39,417 km2, 25.3% of the area of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
Province.
Ancient
The lower Fen was part of the core area of ancient China and held the capital of the state of Jin near HoumaHouma, Shanxi
Houma is a city in the Shanxi province on the People's Republic of China, on the Fen River south of Linfen. It is 274 km large and has a population of 102,400....
. The river nurtured the 2500-year-old Sanjin Civilization and has since been called the "Mother River of People" in Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
.
Some Chinese historians have connected the Fen with the ancient Ji River
Ji River
Ji River may refer to two separate former rivers in China.The Ji Shui was a former river in north-eastern China. It was credited with being the home of the Yellow Emperor's tribe and gave its name to the Zhou dynasty, whose surname was recorded as 姬...
mentioned by Sima Qian
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
and others, who credit it with the origin of the Yellow Emperor
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
and his development of Chinese civilization.
Modern
Modern cities on or near the Fen from north to south are: TaiyuanTaiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Linfen
Linfen
-Administrative divisions:The prefecture-level city of Linfen is divided in one district, two cities and fourteen counties. The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.-Pollution:...
, Houma
Houma, Shanxi
Houma is a city in the Shanxi province on the People's Republic of China, on the Fen River south of Linfen. It is 274 km large and has a population of 102,400....
, Hejin.
As with any river that flows through a city, the Fen River added extra charm to the city of Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
. The construction of dams upstream, however, reduced the once-abundant flow of the river to a mere trickle, and the river bed went dry.
In 1990s, the municipal government of Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
built artificial and removable structures across the river at different locations to create reservoirs of water for landscaping purposes. The surface area of these reservoirs amounts to 1.3 million square meters and, along with newly created vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
of 1.3 million square meters on the banks, forms the Fen River Park.