Historically, these differences have led to differences in
warfare during the pre-modern era, as cavalry could
Regional Differences between North and South China
The concepts of northern and southern China originate
from differences in climate, geography, culture, and
physical traits; as well as several periods of actual
political division in history. Northern China is too cold
and dry for rice cultivation (though rice is grown there
today with the aid of modern technology) and consists
largely of flat plains, grasslands, and desert; while
Southern China is warm and rainy enough for rice and
consists of lush mountains cut by river valleys.
Climate and geography –
Monsoon winds, caused by
differences in the heatabsorbing capacity of the
continent and the ocean,
dominate the climate. The
monsoon
summer
winds
drastically impact the amounts
of precipitation from north to
south. As a result, the southern
region of China receives a
tremendous amount of rainfall.
This impacts both their
agriculture and lifestyles.
easily dominate the northern plains but encountered
difficulties against
river navies fielded
in the south. There
are also major
differences in
language, cuisine,
culture, and popular
entertainment forms,
South China
South China includes the region south of the Yangtze Basin along China's southern
and southeastern coasts, a land of rugged hills and low mountains interspersed with
river basins. Much of this region lies within the tropics. Precipitation is abundant and
the growing season is long, but only 10 percent of the area is flat enough to permit
row cropping. The main crops are rice, sugarcane, mulberries (grown primarily for
silkworm culture), fruit, and freshwater fishes raised in ponds or rice paddies. The
Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) delta plain around Canton is one of the most productive
farming regions in China.
Language - The language commonly referred to as Chinese is Mandarin (the official
language of China and a northern dialect). But Mandarin is one of many languages
spoken in China, where there are 56 ethnic groups, most with their own languages or
dialects. The Cantonese dialect is spoken in Hong Kong, South China, and in many
overseas settlements. The Hakka (Kejia) is also popular in South China, Taiwan,
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and
many overseas Chinese
communities
Agriculture & staple food : rice
Rice is a kind of grain, or grass, like
wheat, millet, or barley, which
provides carbohydrates to people
who eat its seeds. It grows wild in
south-east Asia. People probably
first began to farm rice in Thailand,
about 4000 BC. From there, people learned how to grow rice in
southern and in India. Rice may have been brought to West Asia and Greece about 300 BC by the armies of Alexander the
Great.
It was probably Chinese farmers who first invented the rice paddy. This is a system of growing rice in
artificial (man-made) ponds, which saves water and also helps to kill weeds.
People usually cook rice by boiling or steaming it to make it soft. You can eat it plain, or with a sauce
of vegetables or meat or fish, or sweetened and baked into rice pudding. Or you can crush rice into a
powder and use it to make rice noodles.
North China
The North China Plain lies south of the Great Wall and extends from the coast to the mountains and hills to the west and
south. The floodplains of the Huang He and the Huai He are the main features. Several problems exist here. There is not
enough rainfall, the winters are cold and long, and some of the soils are salty because of poor drainage. The main crops
are wheat, barley, cotton, corn, gaoliang, millet, and peanuts.
Climate and geography - The North China plain has warm hot summers and cold
winters. The Rainfall varies greatly. As a result farmers never know what to
expect. Years of floods may alternate with years of severe drought. The Huang He
(Yellow River) moves back and forth for thousands of miles across North China.
The cities of Beijing and Tianjin are the manufacturing centers in North China.
Beijing, the capital of China, has a major impact on culture and political affairs.
Language - Chinese is the shared language of Han Nationality. Besides Han ethnic
group which accounts 91.59% of China’s integral population, some ethnic
minorities also speak Chinese or take Chinese as their second mother tongue.
Modern Chinese can be divided into standard Chinese (mandarin) and dialect. Mandarin takes Peking Dialect as its
standard pronunciation, dialect of people in North China. On October 31st, 2000, Law of Universal Language and
Character of People's Republic of China came into force and it stipulates mandarin as a universal national language. Han
Dialect comprises of seven branches, namely, North China Dialect, Wu Dialect, Hunan Dialect, Jiangxi Dialect, Hakka
Dialect, Guangdong Dialect, and Fujian Dialect. Each branch has its own sub-branches and jargons. For instance, the most
popular North China Dialect can be further classified into North Mandarin, Northwest Mandarin, Southwest Mandarin,
and Xiajiang Mandarin.
Agriculture & staple food: wheat
In China's more arid North, wheat has
been the staple grain for centuries,
used to make noodles, steamed
breads, and dumplings. Historians
believe that wheat was brought to
China from the Middle East during
the Neolithic Period, possibly as early
as 1500 B.C. By the Han Dynasty
(206 B.C.-200 A.D.) winter wheat and
barley
served
as
ideal
supple
ments to native, summer
season cereals such as
rice and millet. The
combination has allowing for an efficient crop-rotation
system. In recent years as China becomes more urban
and more industrialized, even residents of many rural
areas are experiencing a life-style shift that includes
more modern trappings. Where rising incomes are giving
consumers greater access to well-stocked markets as
well as a greater ability to own appliances such as
refrigerators, many Chinese consumers have been able to
diversify their diets with the addition of more fruits,
vegetables,
meats, and processed
foods. This has resulted in
a decline in wheat
consumption. The mix of
wheat products consumed
is also changing. In recent
years, the influx of
western-style bakeries and
fast-food establishments
has contributed to shifts in
Chinese eating patterns.
Affluent urban residents
are consuming increasing
amounts of western style breads, buns and pastries from
fast food restaurants and bakeries. Traditional steamed
breads, however, remain more common than baked
breads, in part because most Chinese home kitchens are
not equipped with conventional ovens.
Ahmad, Iftikhar, et al. World Cultures: A Global
Mosic. Glenview, Il. Prentice Hall, 2004
Carr, Karen, Kidpede: History for Kids. April 28,
2007.University of Portland. 10/06/07.
http://www.historyforkids.org/
Kansas Asia Community Connection. March 30,
2006. University of Kansas. 10/06/07.
http://asiakan.org//china/china_ag_intro.shtml.