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The White Jade River, also known by the native names Baiyu or Yurungkash, is a river in the southern
Xinjiang
Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...
region of
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
.
The head waters of the river rise in the
Kunlun Mountains
The Kunlun Mountains constitute one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending for more than . In the broadest sense, the chain forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin. Located in Western China, the Kun ...
, in the area of Aksai Chin in
Kashmir
Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...
in the
Togatax area (). The river flows east for some 200 km and then north for another 200 km before passing through
Khotan
Hotan (also known by #Etymology, other names) is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region in Northwestern China. The city proper of Hotan broke off from the larger Hotan County to become an ...
, China ().
In
Khotan
Hotan (also known by #Etymology, other names) is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region in Northwestern China. The city proper of Hotan broke off from the larger Hotan County to become an ...
, the river has yielded white river rocks which are also known as nephrite jade.
North of Khotan, it eventually dries up in the
Taklamakan Desert
The Taklamakan Desert ( ) is a desert in northwest China's Xinjiang region. Located inside the Tarim Basin in Southern Xinjiang, it is bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the south, the Pamir Mountains to the west, the Tian Shan range to the ...
, its seasonal bed joined by that of the Black Jade River (
Karakash River
The Karakash or Black Jade River, also spelled ''Karakax'' (, , Қарақаш Дәряси), is a river in the Xinjiang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China that originates in Aksai Chin. It passes through the historical settlemen ...
) near
Koxlax (some 200 km north of Khotan, ), from where it continues north as the
Hotan River
The Hotan River (also known as the Khotan River or the Ho-t'ien River) is formed by the union of the White Jade (Yurungkash) and Karakash (Black Jade) Rivers, which flow north from the Kunlun Mountains into the Taklamakan Desert in northern Ch ...
, which flows into the
Tarim River
The Tarim River ( zh, p=Tǎlǐmù Hé, c=塔里木河; ), known in Sanskrit as the Śītā, is an endorheic river in Xinjiang, China. It is the principal river of the Tarim Basin, a desert region of Central Asia between the Tian Shan and Kunlu ...
. The river drains an area of and has a discharge of .
The river gets its name from the white
jade
Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or Ornament (art), ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in t ...
that is often found in its
alluvial
Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...
deposits. The
jade
Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or Ornament (art), ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in t ...
can also however be found in semi-shallow areas of the river..
Roads
* China local highway S216 follows the river from Khotan to .
* Keriyadavan Road from Akqik (some segments under construction) crosses Kunlun mountains and follows the river from to .
Gallery
File:Yurungkash_River_near_Hotan.jpg , Yurungkash River near Hotan (2017).
File:China West 1906-08 Sven Hedin.jpg, Map including White Jade River (labelled as Yurungkash R (Khotan)) ( RGS, early 20th century)
File:Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-44-3rd-ed.jpg, Map including the northern section of the White Jade River (labeled as Yü-lung-ha-shih Ho) and surrounding region ( USATC, 1971)
File:Txu-oclc-6654394-ni-44-3rd-ed.jpg, Map including the southern section of the White Jade River (labeled as Yurung Kash) and surrounding region (AMS AMS or Ams may refer to:
Organizations Companies
* Alenia Marconi Systems
* American Management Systems
* AMS (Advanced Music Systems)
* ams AG, semiconductor manufacturer
* AMS Pictures
* Auxiliary Medical Services
Educational institutions
...
, 1950)
File:Operational Navigation Chart G-7, 6th edition.jpg, Map including the White Jade River (labeled as Ywungkax He (Yü-lung-k'o-shih Ho)) and surrounding region) ( DMA, 1980)
See also
*
List of rivers of China
Rivers that flow through China are as follows. The list is organized according to the body of water into which each river empties, beginning with the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast, moving clockwise on a map and ending with the Arctic Ocean.
S ...
Notes
References
External links
Khotan River formed by confluence White Jade and Black Jade Rivers, China(with image)
- also includes construction of Yurungkash River Grand Bridge near Hetian, Xinjiang, China.
{{commons category, White Jade River
Rivers of Xinjiang
Sites along the Silk Road