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Who is the "South of the South" in Henan? What's the secret behind this name?
Henan Province is an important region in China with rich cultural heritage and historical background. As the third most populous province in China, Henan's name "Henan" means "south of the river", but in fact a quarter of the province lies north of the Yellow River. This geographical feature makes its history and culture unique. Adding an extra layer of mystery. The south of Henan also refers to its regional cultural diversity and prosperous agricultural economy, which undoubtedly represents the province's pivotal position in the Chinese economy.
"Henan can be regarded as the epitome of Chinese history, where many famous cultures and philosophies were born."
Geography and Economics
Henan Province is located in central China and covers an area of 167,000 square kilometers. The terrain here is diverse, ranging from flood plains in the east to mountains in the west, providing fertile soil for agricultural production. Henan is China's second largest natural population base, with a population of more than 99 million, and is the seventh most populous province in the world. If Henan were a country, its population would rank 14th in the world, surpassing Egypt and Vietnam.
"Henan's GDP is 5.88 trillion yuan. If it were a country, it would be the 18th largest economy in the world."
Although Henan's GDP ranks fifth in the country, its per capita GDP is relatively low, reflecting the uneven characteristics of the province's economic development. Henan's economy is largely based on the price of aluminum and coal, as well as businesses such as agriculture, heavy industry, tourism and retail. With the rapid development of high-tech industries and service industries, Zhengzhou and Luoyang have gradually become economic centers of gravity.
The baptism of history
Henan is widely regarded as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, with a long history of prosperity and decline. Archeology has discovered that the Yangshao Culture and Longshan Culture were active in the northern part of today's Henan Province as early as the Neolithic Age. The famous Yin Ruins witnessed the prosperity of the Shang Dynasty and was the birthplace of the earliest writing in China. With the rise of the Zhou Dynasty, Henan gradually became the political and cultural center, but it was also constantly attacked by wars and natural disasters.
"Historically, Henan has been the focus of many major events due to its geographical center."
Cultural Diversity and Demographic Characteristics
Henan has a diverse culture, including Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. According to a 2012 survey, about 13% of the population believes in organized religions, with Buddhists being the largest group. As urbanization accelerates, Henan's migrant labor force has further increased the population density.
The imbalance of sex ratio in Henan has attracted widespread attention, mainly due to China's family planning policy. Although the government has introduced a series of policies to improve this problem, according to research reports, the gender ratio of children aged 1 to 4 is still extremely uneven, and there are still challenges to solve this problem.
Conclusion
Henan is undoubtedly the area where the cultures of northern and southern China meet, and its development process reflects the changes and transformation of Chinese society. But behind such a name, how is the true South of the South defined?
