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Zhongyuan

中原

Central Plain
Map showing the province of Henan and two definitions of the Central Plain or Zhongyuan
Map showing the province of Henan and two definitions of the Central Plain or Zhongyuan
Country China
Province Henan
Major Cities Zhengzhou
Luoyang
Kaifeng
Xinxiang
Population
 • Metro
~24,170,000

The Zhongyuan (which means "Central Plains" in Chinese) is a large, flat area in the middle of China. It is located southwest of the capital city, Beijing. The famous Yellow River flows right through this important region.

Many people believe that the Central Plains is where Chinese civilization first began. It is also a part of the larger North China Plain.

What is the Central Plains?

The Central Plains is a big area of flat land. It is found in the central part of China. This region is very important because of its history. The Yellow River, one of China's longest rivers, runs through it. This river helped ancient people grow crops and build cities.

Why is the Central Plains Important?

For a very long time, the Central Plains has been super important to China. People in ancient China called their country the "Middle Kingdom." They thought the Central Plains was the "Center of the World." This shows how special they believed this area was.

The Central Plains was home to the Xia dynasty. This was one of the earliest dynasties in Chinese history. Some of the very first Chinese writing also came from here. This includes the Jiahu symbols and Jiagu writing. These early writings help us learn about ancient Chinese culture.

Sometimes, when people say "Zhongyuan," they are not just talking about the land. They are talking about all of Chinese civilization and its long history.

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