Jingjiang: the land of Jing and Chu, there is Jiangtang soup

Origin

Bounded by Yichang, Hubei, the Yangtze River is divided into the upper reaches and the middle and lower reaches.

Tiger leaping Gorge

The upper reaches of the Yangtze River mostly travel through the mountains, imposing and unstoppable, shaping magnificent landscapes such as the Tiger leaping Gorge and the three Gorges of the Yangtze River.

Three Gorges Dam

After leaving Yichang, the Yangtze River, which lost its mountain bondage, began a wonderful journey:

A large amount of sediment carried from the upstream, due to low and flat terrain, slow flow and large deposits, the originally vast Yunmenze has gradually become the land of sandbars.

Jianghan Plain

Sandbars continue to develop into land, and the land is widely spread into plains, and the embryonic form of the so-called "Jianghan Plain" has emerged.

The emergence of sandbars and plains means that there is soil for the breeding and prosperity of civilization.

Jingzhou city

The first to grow here are many small shrubs with spines, which the ancients called "bauhinia".

Then, humans set up a settlement here, calling the land "Jingzhou", which is now Jingzhou in Hubei Province.

Civilization

As early as the pre-Qin period, Jingzhou became an important external window of the State of Chu thanks to the benefits of land, water, food and grass.

More than 680 BC, King Wen of Chu took Jingzhou (in ancient times) as the capital of Chu, and established the capital here for more than 400 years, which opened the most glorious period of Chu and was listed as one of the seven heroes of the warring States.

With the strong national strength, the Chu culture born because of the water also shines brightly at this time.

The city of Jingzhou, the capital of Chu, was built according to the water, and the army and people often relied on ships to travel. Zuo Zhuan recorded that "Chu Zi was the master of the boat to defeat Wu." the superb shipbuilding skills of the State of Chu have been able to play a role in the war with the kingdoms.

The Chu Canal connects the Jushui River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, and the Han River tributary, which not only facilitates farmland irrigation on both sides of the strait, but also promotes the communication between the Han River Basin and the Yangtze River Basin.

Pinghu, three Gorges (Zigui, Hubei, the hometown of qu Yuan)

Geography

Jingjiang River

The Yangtze River gives Jingzhou so much influence that people directly call the Yangtze River, which flows through Jingzhou, "Jingjiang".

The Jingjiang River is the first section of the Yangtze River after the three Gorges, with Jianghan Plain on the north bank and Dongting Lake Plain on the south bank. The topography leads to the unsmooth flow of the Yangtze River, the extreme drama of the river broadens, and the river is wobbly and winding, which is known as the "nine twists and turns".

From Yidu, Hubei to Yueyang, Hunan, the distance is less than 200 kilometers in a straight line, but Jingjiang has traveled more than 400 kilometers back and forth.

With the lotus pond mouth as the boundary, the Jingjiang River is divided into the Upper Jingjiang River and the Lower Jingjiang River. the upper Jingjiang River is slightly curved and the river is relatively fixed. The lower Jingjiang River is meandering and developing. Within a straight distance of only 80 kilometers, the Yangtze River twists and turns 16 great bends, the length of the river reaches more than 240 kilometers, and the tortuous coefficient of the river (the ratio of the actual length to the distance of the straight line) reaches 3. It has become one of the most developed river sections in China.

The curved shape of the river slows down the flow of the river and provides a natural place for the sediment deposition of the river. over time, the riverbed is higher than the fields on both sides, forming a "aboveground river" similar to the lower reaches of the Yellow River.

With the continuous impact of the water flow on the river bank, the original "S"-shaped river further bent to form a "Ω"-shaped river bend one after another. finally, the narrowest part of the river bend was penetrated by the river water, and the Yangtze River completed the "cutting bend". The original river course has become a cow yoke lake, and the new river channel has temporarily straightened out, and the next round of river bend development-- cutting and straightening-- has officially begun.

Under this cycle, the river is wavering, and "30 years east and 30 years west" has become the most true portrayal of Jingjiang area.

Natural resources.

In order to reduce the flood threat caused by the "aboveground river" and wavering of the Jingjiang River, people have taken a series of measures, such as building dikes, digging channels, and manual guidance, to take advantage of the situation, seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and make the Jingjiang River become a real river of ecology and resources.

As an important part of the natural resources of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses, Jingjiang River is not an isolated existence, it and the surrounding ecosystems interact with each other, contributing to the balance of natural ecology in Jingjiang area.

On the south bank of the Jingjiang River, there are four waterways connected to Dongting Lake, namely, Hudu River, Songzi River, Lotus River and Tiaoxihe River from top to bottom, collectively known as the "Jingnan four Rivers".

During the flood season in summer and autumn, the flood of the Yangtze River flows into Dongting Lake through these four main waterways, storing the flood and lowering the water level, which greatly reduces the flood control pressure on the Jingjiang River and its lower reaches.

In the dry season in winter and spring, Dongting Lake, which accepts the four rivers of Xiangjiang River, Yuanjiang River, Zijiang River and Lishui River, supplies water to the Yangtze River through these four waterways, ensuring the continuous water supply of the Yangtze River.

Such a cycle is very much like our breathing, between inhaling and vomiting, the regulation and exchange of water bodies are completed, and a good ecological circulation system is maintained.

Jingzhou-farmland along the Yangtze River

The sediment of the Jingjiang River has brought sufficient and rich land on both sides of the strait. Since ancient times, agriculture has been developed, and it has become an important production base of grain and cash crops such as rice, wheat and cotton in China.

Honghu Park

Many rivers and water systems in Jingjiang River have shaped rich wetland resources and water landscape. Honghu Lake in Hubei Province and Swan Ezhou Wetland where Milu deer and finless porpoise live in harmony are typical representatives.

In the process of dealing with the Jingjiang River for a long time, people along the coast have also formed their own unique water customs. Rice is the staple food in their daily diet, and there are always all kinds of fish on the table. Even at the wedding and funeral seats, there is the saying that "no fish can be served", similar to it is also dragon boat rowing, river lanterns and other traditional culture.

Jingjiang River at night

As part of our mother river, the Yangtze River.

The upper reaches of the Jingjiang River is flowing mightily.

Downstream horizontal river wide

People love her, respect her and adapt to her.

Live in harmony with her

And what she gave back to this land

There will be more geographical landscapes and distinctive cultures.