Yin Mountains

The Yin Mountains, also known by several other names, are a mountain range stretching across about 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) of northern China. They form the southeastern border of the Gobi Desert and cross the Chinese provinces of Inner Mongolia and Hebei. Among other things, the range is notable for its petroglyphs.

Yin Mountains
Traditional Chinese陰山
Simplified Chinese阴山
Literal meaningYin Mountain(s)
Alternative names
Daqing Mountains
Chinese大青山
Literal meaningGreat Green Mountain(s)
Tangut
Tangut𗲞𗰞
Miyake transcription1rar1 1na'3
Literal meaningBlack Mountains

Names

The Yin Mountains are also known by their Chinese name as the Yinshan, which associates them with the great feminine principle of traditional Chinese philosophy. They are also known as the Jehol Mountains from the former name of nearby Chengde and its eponymous river and as the Daqing Mountains or Daqingshan. In Mongolian, they are known as the Dalan Qara, Dalan Terigün, Dalan Khar, Moni Agula, or Moni Uul.

Geography

The range stretches for about 1,000 kilometers (620 mi). It begins in the southwest as the Lang Mountains at the northern loop of the Yellow River. It then rises to about 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) above Linhe District, falls to a more modest 1,500 m (4,900 ft) north of Baynnur, and widens to a broad highland north of Baotou. Its eastern end is reckoned as about the area of Chengde.

History

Chinese historians record that the range was a stronghold of the Xiongnu ruler Modu Chanyu around 200 BCE. The Yan, Qin, and Han border walls follow its southern ridges.

The Tang poet Bai Juyi (772–846) composed the "Yinshan Roads" about its paths.

References
  • Herrmann, Albert (1935), Die Gobi im Zeitalter der Hunnen-Herrschaft, Geografiska Annaler. (in German)
  • Almas, Turghun (1989), Uyghurlar, Urumqi. (in Turkish)


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