The two most famous rivers in China are the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Of course, China has more than just these two rivers; it also boasts other significant rivers such as the Zhu Jiang, Li Jiang, and Wei He.
However, when rivers are mentioned in China, the names Yangtze and Yellow stand out above all others.
Giang and Hà in Chinese both mean river.
It is known that Giang and Hà both mean river in Chinese. So why are some rivers in China referred to as Giang and others as Hà? What are the differences between these two terms?
In reality, we can analyze this issue from a geographical and cultural perspective. After all, people in different regions have varying cultures and lifestyles, leading to different perceptions of events.
In ancient times, before the terms Giang and Hà were established, people referred to all water areas as Xuan. This term was used in antiquity to denote a relatively large river.
In ancient times, all water areas in China were called Xuyên.
Over time, the term evolved into Giang, indicating that the development of the term Giang occurred earlier than that of Hà. Thus, people began to refer to water areas as Giang.
Historical records indicate that the Chinese used the term Giang as early as the State of Chu. So why did the people of Chu call water areas Giang?
This is related to the peacock that once inhabited the Yangtze River basin. Ancient people, witnessing such a magnificent bird, naturally thought of it as a divine creature or a noble being sent by heaven.
Furthermore, the ecosystem along the banks of the Yangtze River is indeed very rich, leading people to believe that this place is blessed by the heavens, suitable for birds to perch. Thus, the people of Chu referred to this water area as Giang, which phonetically resembled the call of the peacock. In ancient times, the State of Chu was located in the south, which is why the term Giang appeared first in the southern regions.
The term Hà emerged around 100 BC.
Later, the term Hà emerged around 100 BC, during a time of cultural flourishing, with references to Hà in the Book of Songs. However, the origins of the name Yellow River do not have clear documentation.
What is certain is that the pronunciation of Hà is similar to the sound of snoring. Additionally, it has been noted that the phonetic sound of Hà closely resembles the howl of wild beasts, as we all know that the Yellow River is famously known as the “angry river” due to its tumultuous flow.
As time has progressed, the differences between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River have become clearer. First, we can easily recognize that the water basin south of the Yangtze River is called Giang, while the water basin to the north is referred to as Hà. A typical example is Zhu Jiang and Wei He in Northeast China.
Rivers flowing deep inland are called Hà.
Second, upon closer observation, most water bodies connected to the sea are called Giang, such as the Huangpu River. In contrast, deep inland rivers are referred to as Hà.
Finally, the Yellow River and other rivers named Hà often experience droughts and high floodwaters, while rivers with the term Giang tend to be milder, experiencing fewer droughts or floods, exemplified by the gentle Yangtze River.
In reality, whether referred to as Giang or Hà, these terms result from thousands of years of cultural evolution in China. Therefore, changing these designations is not a simple matter.
