**Title: Why Have Literary Figures Throughout History Been Drawn to the Yellow River?**
**— An Interview with Guo Yanhua, Dean of the School of Literature and Journalism at Northern Minority University**
**By Yang Di, China News Service**
The Yellow River, celebrated as the cradle of Chinese civilization, has inspired numerous literary creations over thousands of years. Why do Chinese writers have such a fascination with the Yellow River? What characteristics define the poetry that revolves around this iconic river across different dynasties? How can we further explore and promote Yellow River culture? Recently, we sat down for an interview with Guo Yanhua, the Dean of the School of Literature and Journalism at Northern Minority University, to delve into these questions.
**China News Service Reporter:** What impact has the Yellow River had on Chinese society?
**Guo Yanhua:** The Yellow River is regarded as the “Mother River” of the Chinese nation. Throughout the more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization, the Yellow River basin has served as a political, economic, and cultural center for over three thousand years. The culture born from the Yellow River is an essential component of Chinese civilization, representing the “roots” and “soul” of the Chinese people.
Over millennia, Yellow River culture has crystallized into a cultural character that embodies the Chinese virtues of resilience, honesty, perseverance, self-reliance, and harmony. As noted by the renowned historian Ban Gu in the “Book of Han,” “Among the many rivers in China, none is more significant than the Yellow River.” As the origin of the nation’s rivers, the Yellow River has nurtured generations of the Chinese, shaping their unique spirit and heritage, and it remains a common symbol of aspiration in the hearts of the Chinese.
**China News Service Reporter:** What stylistic features and reflections of the times can we see in literary works featuring the Yellow River from various dynasties?
**Guo Yanhua:** The Yellow River is a fundamental origin of Chinese civilization. Its natural landscapes, local customs, and historical changes have become central themes in literature. The immense majesty of the Yellow River has not only shaped a distinctive literary style but has also profoundly influenced the spirit and literary traditions of the Chinese people. The extensive writings about the Yellow River by scholars across history reflect their admiration and reverence for Yellow River civilization as well as their recognition and continuity of the national spirit.
For instance, “The Book of Songs,” which is China’s first anthology of poetry, was primarily created in the Yellow River basin. Many pieces depict the lives of ancestors living by the river, capturing scenes of stone quarrying, woodcutting, boat building, nostalgia, and romance, thereby documenting the early lifestyles of the basin’s inhabitants.
During the Tang dynasty, poetry inspired by the Yellow River flourished, with poets exploring the vastness of the nation’s landscapes from Gansu’s Yumenguan to the Puji Ferry in Henan, leaving traces across the river’s upper, middle, and lower streams.
The Song dynasty was a significant period in Chinese civilization, and the literary focus on the Yellow River continued robustly. Scholars embedded their reflections on the cosmos and human existence into Yellow River poetry, showcasing the Song scholars’ conscious duty to philosophy and their spirit of universality.
**China News Service Reporter:** Why has the Yellow River been so revered by literary figures throughout history? What values and cultural significance does Yellow River culture embody?
**Guo Yanhua:** The Yellow River has nurtured a magnificent Chinese civilization and has always been highly esteemed. Yellow River civilization embodies an understanding of the unity between humanity and nature. In ancient times, the region around the river established stable agricultural societies where ancestral inhabitants created pottery, farmed, and fished, gradually uncovering the mysteries of the universe and developing a unique ecological framework. Over time, this led to a worldview rooted in the harmony between man and nature, highlighting the early cosmic awareness and broad-mindedness of the Chinese nation.
The Yellow River culture has been instrumental in shaping the rich humanistic heritage of the Chinese nation. Even in ancient times, civilizations along the Yellow River laid the groundwork for writing, literature, music, dance, painting, and scientific advances. This cultural spirit brought forth classics like “The Book of Songs,” “Tao Te Ching,” “Analects,” “Mencius,” “I Ching,” and “Records of the Grand Historian.”
Moreover, Yellow River culture serves as a historical foundation for the spirit of the Chinese nation. China has always been a unified multi-ethnic nation, and for thousands of years, diverse ethnic groups coexisted in the Yellow River basin, fostering economic interdependence, cultural exchange, and strong emotional ties. The shared mindset of “same roots, same origins” and the consciousness of a “unified state” run deep among the people, fostering a collective memory that promotes mutual recognition and cultural exchange among all ethnic groups throughout history.
Today, Yellow River culture remains a crucial part of China’s cultural soft power. From the emergence of prehistoric humanity in the Yellow River basin to the birth of the Huaxia people and the formation of the Chinese nation; from the rise and fall of dynasties to the sacrifices made by countless patriots throughout modern history, Yellow River civilization has left an enduring material and spiritual legacy that represents both the unique cultural confidence of the Chinese nation and a remarkable aspect of human civilization.
**China News Service Reporter:** How can we promote Yellow River culture today?
**Guo Yanhua:** To promote Yellow River culture, we must thoroughly explore its historical and cultural significance. Covering vast territories and spanning different historical periods, Yellow River culture encompasses literature, arts, customs, regulations, entertainment, agriculture, environmental changes, livestock farming, and water management practices—it is a valuable asset for strengthening the sense of shared identity among the Chinese nation. Researching Yellow River culture and telling its stories should involve a comprehensive approach that considers both the historical timeline and geographical scope. We need to distill significant thematic elements from rich, diverse literature and lived experiences to articulate the rich qualities of Yellow River culture.
Furthermore, it is essential to communicate and consolidate the spiritual essence of Yellow River culture. This culture embodies the wisdom of the Chinese nation, and recounting its stories requires focusing on the arduous efforts of historical figures in governing the river, celebrating the substantial achievements in its management as well as the inspiring tales of people battling natural disasters. These narratives not only recall history but also extol the national spirit, igniting feelings of patriotism and determination among the populace.
Promoting Yellow River culture also necessitates ecological civilization as a guiding principle to advance ecological protection and high-quality development in the river basin. Throughout history, the Yellow River has faced issues such as soil erosion, sedimentation, and environmental pollution. We need to infuse the ancient Yellow River civilization with contemporary ecological concepts to ensure its sustainable development amid the modernization process.
Lastly, promoting Yellow River culture should emphasize innovation and openness. We must embrace innovation based on the rich heritage of Yellow River culture, using modern technology and communication methods to breathe new life into this long-standing culture and nourish contemporary civilization. At the same time, we should foster an open mindset to facilitate deeper exchanges between Yellow River culture and global cultures, enriching mutual growth and development, and thus creating a new narrative that highlights the prosperity of Yellow River culture alongside economic and social development while providing ideological inspiration and spiritual strength for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
**Interviewee Profile:**
**Guo Yanhua:** A doctor, professor, and former visiting scholar at Harvard University, Guo Yanhua is recognized as a distinguished young talent by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission. Currently, she serves as the Dean of the School of Literature and Journalism at Northern Minority University and holds several significant positions, including vice chairperson of the Ethnic Minority Literature Historical Materials Branch of the Chinese Literature Historical Materials Society and executive council member of the China Ethnic Minority Literature Society. She is also responsible for key disciplines in Chinese language and literature nationally and oversees a prestigious undergraduate program in Chinese language and literature.
**Editor: Hu Hanxiao**
