Around the Bend in China Trivia Quiz

Answer: Yangtze River

The Yangtze or "Long" River flows for 3,900 miles from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea. Ocean-going vessels are able to travel 1,000 miles upstream from its mouth. Historically, flooding of the river has been a significant issue from May through August.

Wuhan is a major transportation hub in China and near the site of the Three Gorges Dam. Nanjing was the capital of the Republic of China from 1927 until 1949. Shanghai is one of the most populous urban areas in China and a major world financial center.

Answer: Hong River

The Hong (or Red) River runs for 714 miles from southwestern China through Vietnam to the Gulf of Tonkin. Several dams have been built on the Hong in the 20th century to generate hydroelectric power. The river flows generally flows in a northwest to southeast direction.

Weishan Yi (formerly Menghua) is very close to the source of the Hong River.
Manhao was an important town for river travel before the arrival of the railroad in this part of China in the early 20th century. The city of Nansha is also known as New Yuanyang.

Answer: Huai River

The Huai River runs for a length of 690 miles and has a drainage area of 67,000 square miles. The river flows into the Yellow Sea. The Huai is part of China's Grand Canal. By some, the Huai is seen as the dividing line between northern China and southern China.

Xinyang is known for its Tea Culture Festival held each year on April 28 and 30. Bengbu's name translates as "Oyster Wharf", which suits a location of a freshwater pearl fishery. Huai'an is located amongst granite quarries which provide a significant amount of the stone used for public buildings and monuments in China.

Answer: Songhua River

The Songhua River is also known as the Haixi. The river has a drainage area of roughly 215,000 square miles. It flows for 891 miles across the Northeast China Plain. The river usually freezes for several months in the winter. The river is navigable for a significant fraction of its length.

Jilin is known as the "River City" and was co-host of the 2007 Asian Games. Harbin is a significant center for scientific research in China. Its cool climate allows it to be a important center for winter tourism. Jiamusi is an important center for the processing of wood pulp and newsprint.

Answer: Han River

The Han River runs for 952 miles before it converges with the Yangtze River. It helps to form the unofficial division between north China and south China. The river has a drainage basin of about 67,300 square miles. The river gave its name to the Han Dynasty which ruled China for several hundred years.

Hanzhong is mentioned in historical references from over 2,000 years ago. Ankang is an important center for tourism with a large number of scenic areas and spots. Shiyan began to developed as an important industrial center by the Chinese government in the 1960s.

Answer: Yalu River

The Yalu River (or Amrok River) lies on the border between China and North Korea. The river has marked the border between China and Korea for over 1,000 years. It runs for 494 miles. The approximately 250 islands in the river are divided between the two countries.

Dandong is the largest city on the border between China and North Korea. It is the location of the Sino-Korean Friendship bridge. During the 1950s to the 1970s, Linjiang was a frequent choice for location shooting for Chinese films. Archeological sites found in the vicinity of Ji'an have been dated to the Neolithic Period.

Answer: Heilong Jiang River

The Heilong Jiang River ("Black Dragon River") is also known as the Amur River. Running for 1,755 miles, the river helps to form the boundary between China and Russia. The Heilong Jiang is known for its extensive population of predatory fish.

Heihe is found on the south bank of the river, opposite the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk. Tongjiang is located where the Heilong Jiang meets the Songhua River. Huma, formerly known as Kumarsk during its rule by Russia, became part of China in the late 17th century.

Answer: Wu River

The Wu River runs for 710 miles and is a major southern tributary of the Yangtze River. Extensive development has occurred on the river to generate hydroelectric power. Unfortunately, the lower stretch of the Wu has suffered from significant pollution in more recent years.

Wushan in located at the edge of the Wu Gorge and is a center of small-scale coal mining. In addition to coal mining, the land around Maoping is also used for farming and tea production. Fuiling was the setting for the 2001 book "River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze".

Answer: Cao'e River

The Cao'e River flows for 113 miles from the Dapan Mountains to Hangzhou Bay. The river was named after a girl who drowned while searching for her father who was lost in the river. The river has long been a popular destination for visitors.

Archeology indicates that humans have lived in the vicinity of Tianmen for over 7,000 years. Shengzhou was the birthplace of the Yue style of Chinese opera. Shangyu was well known for producing many scholars who passed the exams to become government officials in the Imperial Chinese government.

Answer: Huang He River

The Huang He or Yellow River flows for 3,395 miles across northern China to the Bohai Sea. One of the earliest areas of civilization in China was located along the Huang He. Flooding has also been a major concern with multiple floods responsible for one million or more deaths each.

In past ages, Lanzhou was a major stop on the Silk Road. Both steel and processing rare earth minerals have been major industries in Baotou. Located on the south bank of the Huang He, Zhengzhou is a megacity with a population greater than 10,000,000.