Yangtze Plain

The Yangtze Plain stretches from the Yichang area to the coast along the Yangtze River, with consistently flat terrain lying below 45 meters in elevation. The landscape is shaped by numerous lakes and waterways that weave throughout the entire region.

Since ancient times, fertile soils created by river deposits have supported large human settlements and farming development across this region. This natural fertility made it a major center of Chinese civilization from early periods onward.

For centuries, this region has served as a crossroads where different communities exchanged goods and ideas through its natural water routes. Today, these waterways continue to shape how people live and how settlements connect with one another across the landscape.

The region has modern transportation networks and infrastructure connecting major cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan across the plain. Flood management systems and agricultural structures are visible features of the landscape.

Three major lakes - Dongting, Poyang, and Hong - occupy the plain and function as natural flood basins while supporting freshwater fishing activities. These bodies of water form an intricate ecosystem that serves both flood management and local economic needs.