Qinling Mountains Regarded as China’s “Dragon Vein”
Scenery of the Qinling Mountains
A mountain, which changes the natural structure of Chinese Mainland and has glorious position, is unaffectedly admirable. The mountains not only bred the early Chinese civilization but also created the glory of Chinese nation and injected the mountain felling into the inner world of the nation, which makes it admirable to everyone.
“Qinling has northern and southern territory, and is the ‘Middle Dragon’ of Chinese mountain system.” described in the book Yugong, Chinese first regional geologic works appeared in the Warring States Period. However, Qinling is called “Dragon Vein” in the classic Zhouyi. In ancient China, the image of dragon is related to water or emperor and kingdom. “Dragon Vein” means that the trend, momentum, and water vein are related to the fortune of the country. Look back to the history, Qinling is absolutely such “Dragon Vein” which has affected China society for thousands of years.
In terms of the trend and imposing manner of Qinling, it is located at the center of China with the east-west trend, lasts for over 1,000km, and is like a dancing dragon on China’s territory.
In terms of the influence on the development of Chinese history, the history of Qinling Mountains is the greater part of the Chinese history. 1.15 million years ago, with stone implement and starry kindling material, Homo erectus Lantian Ape-man, living in Wanggongshan Mountain at the northern foot of Qinling, declared that the farewell to anthropopithecus and drew back the curtain of Chinese history; 6,000 years ago, Banpo People, living at the bank of Chanhe River at the northern foot of Qinling, had began to plant the earliest grain (millet) and coleseed; 5,000 year ago, Yandi and the Yellow Emperor started their causes from Guanzhong Plain and Loess Plateau, and advanced triumphantly to brought China into the civilized society; since then “Descendants of Yandi and the Yellow Emperor” became the antonomasia of Chinese; in 11th century BC, ritual and music culture, established by the Western Zhou Dynasty which established its capital at the bank of Fenghe River, structured the core of Chinese traditional ideology and Chinese traditional culture. From then on, China won the reputation of “State of Rituals and Manners”, and the agricultural civilization of the Western Zhou Dynasty laid China’s over 2,000-year foundation of “Agriculture first”. Under the shade of Qinling, 221BC, Emperor Qin Shihuang united China and then set up the systems which laid the foundation of the over 2,000-year feudal regime architecture. It is the Qin People, the Qin Kingdom and the Qin Dynasty that make “Qin” become the antonomasia of Chinese for foreigners; meanwhile, it is Hanjiang River and Hanzhong at the south of Qinling that there were the names of Han King (Liu Bang), the Han Dynasty, the Hans, Hanzi, the Han nationality and sinology, etc., and the “Only Confucianism” executed by Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty made Confucianism the official ruling ideology of the Western Han Dynasty and the successive dynasties as well as the guiding ideology of Chinese people; As the same as the Qin Dynasty, the Sui Dynasty is a short dynasty. The imperial examination system established in the Sui Dynasty had still affected the present talent selection system of China and even many countries in the world; it is the Qinlingish great mind that the successive Tang Dynasty created a golden flourishing age, which is prideful and rememberable but is difficult to duplicat in Chinese history ….
In conclusion, the history of Shaanxi involved not only country fate and people’s living but also the future of China and the fate of the world. It affected the change of mode of production, the follow of life-style, the evolution of superstructure, and the modeling of national spirit as well as culture psychology. It decided the development orientation of ancient China and the changes of present Chinese politics, economy, and social life. As it were, long-standing, extensive and profound Shaanxi history constituted the main structure of Chinese culture, gave birth to the glory and refulgence of Chinese nation, and also composed the most intensified, glorious and dazzling movement of Chinese civilization. All these are realized within the embrace of large Qinling or under the support of its strong and massive body. It is the protection and nutriment of Qinling that have the security and abundantness of 800km Qin territory, the resplendence and declining of thirteen dynasties on the bank of Weihe River at the northern foot of Qinling as well as the unsurpassed beauty of the Zhou, the Qin, the Han and the Tang dynasties.
That being so, in the mind of all Chinese, Qinling is not only a natural kingdom in where all things develop freely and a tourist attraction where assembles various natural landscapes but also a “Dragon Vein” which feeds Chinese civilization and bears Chinese history.
Qinling is such a mountain, and she is picturesque and vigorous; Qinling is such a mountain, and she is all-inclusive and runs through ancient and modern society; Qinling is such a mountain, and she bears the heavy responsible of history and inherits the civilization; Qinling is such a mountain, and she is jewelly and her spirit lasts for ever.
Scenery of the Qinling Mountains
A mountain improves the historical development of an ancient civilized country, which is miraculous and fascinated. It is impelled to speak that this is the true essence contained by Qinling.
