Min River (Fujian) Explained

Min River
Map:Fujian in China (+all claims hatched).svg
Map Size:275px
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:China
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Name2:Fujian
Source1:Futun
Source1 Location:Shaowu, Fujian
Source1 Elevation:631m (2,070feet)
Source2:Shaxi
Source2 Location:Sanming, Fujian
Source2 Elevation:557m (1,827feet)
Source Confluence Location:Nanping, Fujian
Source Confluence Elevation:77m (253feet)
Mouth:Taiwan Strait
Mouth Location:Fuzhou, Fujian
Mouth Elevation:0m (00feet)
Length:505km (314miles)
Discharge1 Avg:1980m3/s
Basin Size:60922km2
Tributaries Left:Renshou, Jianxi and tributaries
Tributaries Right:Xixi, Jinxi, Shaxi, Youxi, Dazhang
T:閩江
S:闽江
P:Mǐn jiāng
J:Man5 gong1
Poj:Bân kang

The Min River (Chinese: Mǐn Jiāng) is a -long river in Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It is the largest river in Fujian, and an important water transport channel. Most of northern and central Fujian is within its drainage area.

The provincial capital, Fuzhou, sits on the lower Min River, with its historic center being on the northern side of the river. Fuzhou's suburb Changle is on the other side of the river, even closer to its fall into the Taiwan Strait; the location historically made it an important port.

Alternate sources

The traditional source of the Min River is in the far northwest of the basin, hence in China the highest reach is called the Beixi Brook. The total length of the river using this source is 505 km. But in fact, the Beixi is neither the geographic or hydrological source of the river. The Shuiqian is the furthest geographic source, and the Shuiqian-Shaxi-Min is 580 km long. A different river, the Jinxi, is larger than the Beixi-Futun at the point where the two meet, and consequently is connected to the hydrological source.

See also

References

Fujian Local Records Compilation Committee. (2001). Fujian Provincial Chronicles: Topography. Fuzhou: Local Records Press