Changbai Mountains
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The Changbaek Mountains, or the Changbai Mountains, are a mountain range on the border between China and North Korea. The range extends from the Northeast Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning to the North Korean provinces of Ryanggang and Chagang. Most peaks exceed 2,000 metres in height.
The range represents the mythical birthplace of Bukūri Yongšon, ancestor of Nurhaci and the Aisin Gioro Imperial family, who were the founders of the Manchu state and the Chinese Qing dynasty. The name literally means "Perpetually White Mountain Region" in Mandarin and "Perpetually White Mountain Range" in Korean.
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History
The territory has been, successively, the home of the Mohe tribes and Jurchen nation, occupied by the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, Balhae and the Liao (Khitan) kingdoms.
According to the Sheng wu chi ("Our august dynasty's military memorial"), an official history of earlier Manchu wars, in the Ming period living in this territory were the Tungus tribes of Neyen and Yalu. Later it formed part of the Manchu Later Jin Empire (changed to Qing), created by Nurhaci.
Economy
The range plays an important economic role. It is known for a variety of ginseng that grows there. In addition, the heavily-forested slopes are an important area for logging. In recent years, tourism has also become an increasingly important source of revenue on the Chinese side.
Geography
The highest peak is Baekdu Mountain (2,744 m), a volcano which is also known as Changbai Mountain. Baekdu mountain is the source of the Songhua, Tumen (Tuman) and Yalu (Amnok) rivers.
Flora and fauna
The rugged terrain of the Changbai Mountains provides refuge for many rare animals, including bears, and Siberian tigers. A large portion of the Jilin Province side is protected as the Changbaishan Nature Reserve (長白山自然保護區), which covers more than 2,100 square kilometres.
The vegetation of the mountain slopes is divided into several different zones. At the top, above 2000 metres, tundra predominates. From 1700 to 2000 metres, vegetation is dominated by mountain birch and larch. Below this zone, and down to 1100 metres, the dominant trees are spruce, fir, and Korean pine. From 600 to 1100 metres, the landscape is dominated by mixed forest, consisting of Amur linden, Korean pine, maple, and elm. Further down, a temperate hardwood forest is found, dominated by second-growth poplar and birch. (Liu et al., p. 3388).
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References
- Liu, Q.J., Takamura, T., Takeuchi, N., Shao, G. (2002). Mapping of boreal vegetation of a temperate mountain in China by multitemporal LANDSAT imagery. International Journal of Remote Sensing 23(17), 3385-3405.
See also
External links
- National Geographic ecosystem profile
- UNESCO profile of Changbaishan Biosphere Reservede:Changbai-Gebirge
fr:Changbai hu:Changbai ko:창바이 산맥 no:Changbaifjellene zh:长白山