South vs. North in China
China is a vast country, so naturally there are regional differences. One of the more notable differences is that between the South and the North.
Where is the line between South China and North China? For average Chinese, Yangzi (Yangtze) River serves as a convenient divide. Those who are south of the great river, Southerners, and those north of it, Northerners.
Scientists and scholars, however, use a line that is slightly different. Their imaginary line lies north of the Yangzi and south of China’s second longest river, the Yellow River. In effect, this is the line marked out by Huai River and Qinling Mountain. The Huai is a smaller river that flows in the east-west direction between the two great rivers, and the Qinling is a mountain range located in central/western China. Together these two landmarks divide China into the South and the North.
The division described above is largely based on geographic conditions – topography, climate, etc. Generally, land in the North is more level; it is kind of barren too, as over there it does not rain as much and cold air from Siberia comes down now and then. South China, in contrast, is more hilly and mountainous, and it also features an extensive system of waterways. As the weather here is more influenced by the ocean, precipitation is greater and land is better forested.
Expectedly, some cultural stereotypes are associated with the geographical divide between the South and the North. The Southerner is often depicted as clever, quick and outgoing whereas the northerner is portrayed to be slow, solid and more conservative. In this regard, the stereotypes seemed to be the opposite of those found in the United States, where the North is more commercialized and the South more traditional.
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