Jialing River
Encyclopedia
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
with its source in Gansu province. It gets its name from its crossing the Jialing Vale in Feng County
Feng County, Shaanxi
Feng County is a county of Baoji, Shaanxi, China.-External links:*...
of Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
. It was once known as Langshui or Yushui (渝水; Pinyin: yúshǔi).
Overview
The Jialing River is 1119 km long. Its headwaters are the Bailong River and Xihanshui. The stretch from the confluence of the two rivers at Lianghekou in Lueyang (HanzhongHanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
city), Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, to Zhaohua is considered to be the upper reaches of the river. The middle course is between Zhaohua and Hechuan
Hechuan
Hechuan is a district in the northern part of Chongqing, China, located at the meeting point of the Jialing, Fu and Qu rivers, with a history of 1500 years...
. Below Hechuan to where it joins the Yangtze in Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
is the lower reaches of the river.
Characteristics
The Jialing River's most notable characteristic is its sinuous course. From Zhangwang Miao (Temple of Zhangfei) in GuangyuanGuangyuan
Guangyuan is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan Province, China. It has an area of 16313.78 square kilometers and a population of 2,484,123 in 2010...
to Longdongtuo in Hechuan
Hechuan
Hechuan is a district in the northern part of Chongqing, China, located at the meeting point of the Jialing, Fu and Qu rivers, with a history of 1500 years...
, the distance as the crow flies is only slightly more than 200 km. However the river itself travels over 600 km. The most tortuous part of its course is between Nanchong
Nanchong
Nanchong is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, with an area of 12,479 kilometers. and the home to 7,300,000 people. It has the second most populated area and suggested to be one of the eight largest cities of Sichuan Province...
and Wusheng.
Tributaries
There are large number of tributaries along the Jialing. The largest tributaries include Fu Jiang (also known as Sui He) and Qu Jiang, both of which flow into the Jialing at HechuanHechuan
Hechuan is a district in the northern part of Chongqing, China, located at the meeting point of the Jialing, Fu and Qu rivers, with a history of 1500 years...
.
Major cities along the river
- Guang'anGuang'anGuang'an is a prefecture-level city in eastern Sichuan province. It is most famous as the birthplace of China's former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. Guang'an lies between the hills of central Sichuan and the gorges area of the east...
- LangzhongLangzhongLangzhong is a 2300 year old city located in Nanchong, Sichuan province.The town's perimeter is 1.5 km². In 1986 the State Council named it a famous and historical town.-Transport:*China National Highway 212...
- NanchongNanchongNanchong is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, with an area of 12,479 kilometers. and the home to 7,300,000 people. It has the second most populated area and suggested to be one of the eight largest cities of Sichuan Province...
- HechuanHechuanHechuan is a district in the northern part of Chongqing, China, located at the meeting point of the Jialing, Fu and Qu rivers, with a history of 1500 years...
- ChongqingChongqingChongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...