View source for Yalu River

{{Short description|River on the border between China and North Korea}}
{{Redirect|Yalu|the river in Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia|Yalu River (Nen River tributary)|other uses|Yalu (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Amrokkang|the sports club|Amnokgang Sports Club}}
{{Infobox river
 | name                 = Yalu
 | native_name          = {{native name list |tag1=zh-hans|name1=鸭绿江 |tag2=ko|name2=압록강 |tag3=mnc|name3={{ManchuSibeUnicode|ᠶᠠᠯᡠ ᡠᠯᠠ}}}}
 | native_name_lang     = 
 | name_other           = Amnok
 | name_etymology       = See [[#Name]]
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
 | image                = 巡道工出品 photo by Xundaogong - panoramio (66).jpg
 | image_size           = 
 | image_caption        = Yalu River in [[Changbai Korean Autonomous County|Changbai]], [[Jilin province|Jilin]]
 | map                  = Yalurivermap.png
 | map_size             = 
 | map_caption          = Location of the Yalu River
 | pushpin_map          = 
 | pushpin_map_size     = 
 | pushpin_map_caption  = 
 | mapframe             = yes
 | mapframe-zoom        = 6
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
 | subdivision_type1    = Countries
 | subdivision_name1    = [[China]] <small>(PRC)</small> and [[North Korea]] <small>(DPRK)</small>
 | subdivision_type2    = Provinces
 | subdivision_name2    = [[Jilin]] <small>(PRC)</small>, [[Liaoning]] <small>(PRC)</small>, [[Ryanggang]] <small>(DPRK)</small>, [[Chagang]] <small>(DPRK)</small>, [[North Pyongan]] <small>(DPRK)</small>, [[Sinuiju Special Administrative Region|Sinuiju SAR]] <small>(DPRK)</small>
 | subdivision_type3    = 
 | subdivision_name3    = 
 | subdivision_type4    = 
 | subdivision_name4    = 
 | subdivision_type5    = 
 | subdivision_name5    = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
 | length               = {{convert|790|km|mi|abbr=on}} 
 | width_min            = 
 | width_avg            = 
 | width_max            = 
 | depth_min            = 
 | depth_avg            = 
 | depth_max            = 
 | discharge1_location  = 
 | discharge1_min       = 
 | discharge1_avg       = 
 | discharge1_max       = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
 | source1              = South of [[Heaven Lake]], PRC-DPRK border, [[Paektu Mountain]]
 | source1_location     = 
 | source1_coordinates  = {{Coord|41|58|8|N|128|4|24|E|display=inline}}
 | source1_elevation    = 
 | mouth                = [[Korea Bay]]
 | mouth_location       = 
 | mouth_coordinates    = {{coord|39|52|N|124|19|E|display=inline,title}}
 | mouth_elevation      = 
 | progression          = 
 | river_system         = 
 | basin_size           = 
 | tributaries_left     = 
 | tributaries_right    = 
 | custom_label         = 
 | custom_data          = 
 | extra                = 
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = 
| s = {{linktext|鸭绿江}}
| t = {{linktext|鴨綠江}}
| p = Yālù Jiāng
| w = {{tone superscript|Ya1-lu4 Chiang1}}
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|ya|1|l|u|4|-|j|iang|1}}
| wuu = Ah<sup>平</sup> loe<sup>去</sup> kaon<sup>平</sup>
| j = {{tone superscript|Aap3luk6 Gong1}}
| ci = {{IPA|yue|ʔáːplʊ̀kkɔ́ːŋ|}}
| northkorea = yes
| hangul = 압록강
| hanja = 鴨綠江
| rr = Amnokgang
| mr = Amnokkang
| mnc_rom = Yalu ula
| mnc = ᠶᠠᠯᡠ<br />ᡠᠯᠠ
}}

The '''Yalu River''' ({{zh|s=鸭绿江|p=Yālù Jiāng}}) or '''Amnok River''' ({{Korean|hangul=압록강|mr=Amnokkang}}) is a [[river]] on the border between [[China]] and [[North Korea]]. Together with the [[Tumen River]] to its east, and a small portion of [[Paektu Mountain]], the Yalu forms the [[China–North Korea border|border]] between China and North Korea. Its valley has been the scene of several military conflicts in the past centuries. 
It borders [[North Korea]] to the south and [[China]] to the north.

==Name==
The Chinese name ''Yalu'' ("duck-green") was first attested during the [[Tang dynasty]]. According to the ''[[Tongdian]]'' (8th century), the river was named after its color, which resembled that of a [[mallard]]'s head.<ref name="geodata.cn">{{cite web |title=中国7大河、32省代表河流名称由来 |url=http://henu.geodata.cn:8221/infowin.html |website=National Earth System Science Data Center}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=鸭绿江 |url=http://www.ln.xinhuanet.com/ycfc/zr_yly.htm |website=Xinhua Liaoning |publisher=[[Xinhua]]}}</ref> The Korean name "Amnok" follows the [[Sino-Xenic_vocabularies|Sino-Korean reading]] of the same name. In ancient times, the river was known as ''Peishui'' (''Paesu'', 浿水) or ''Mazishui'' (''Majasu'', 馬訾水).<ref name="geodata.cn"/><ref name="encykorea"/>

Historically, it was also known by the Korean name of ''Arinarye'' (아리나례강, 阿利那禮江). ''Ari'', a word from [[Old Korean]] used to refer to the 'spirituality (신령성; 神靈性) of the sun'.<ref name="encykorea">{{Cite web |title=압록강(鴨綠江) |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]] |language=ko}}</ref> The second component might be related to the Old Korean word for 'river, stream', nari (나리, 川理).

Two other theories exist for the name Yalu: one theory is that the name derived from ''Yalu ula'' ({{ManchuSibeUnicode|ᠶᠠᠯᡠ<br>ᡠᠯᠠ}}) in the [[Manchu language]]. The Manchu word ''yalu'' ({{ManchuSibeUnicode|ᠶᠠᠯᡠ}}) means "the boundary between two countries". In Mandarin Chinese, {{lang|zh-Latn|yālù}} phonetically approximates the original Manchu word, but literally means "duck green", which was said to have been once the color of the river. The other theory is that the river was named after the combination of its two upper branches, which were called "{{lang|zh-hant|{{linktext|鴨}}}}" ({{lang|zh-Latn|Yā}} or'' Ap'') and "{{lang|zh-hant|{{linktext|綠}}}}" ({{lang|zh-Latn|Lù}} or "''Rok''"/"''Nok''"), respectively.<ref name="geodata.cn"/>

[[Revised Romanization of Korean]] spelled it {{lang|ko-Latn|Amnokgang}} ({{IPA|ko|amnok.k͈aŋ}}; "Amnok River") and [[Revised Romanization of Korean|Revised Romanization of Hangeul]] spelled it {{lang|ko-Latn|Aprokgang}} ({{IPA|ko|amnok.k͈aŋ}}; "Aprok River").

==Geography==
From {{convert|2,500|m|ft|abbr=off}} above sea level on [[Paektu Mountain]] on the [[China–North Korea border]], the river flows south to [[Hyesan]] before sweeping {{convert|130|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-west to [[Linjiang]] and then returning to a more southerly route for a further {{convert|300|km|mi|abbr=on}} to empty into [[Korea Bay]] between [[Dandong]] (China) and [[Sinuiju]] (North Korea). The bordering Chinese provinces are [[Jilin]] and [[Liaoning]], while the bordering North Korean provinces are [[North Pyongan]], [[Chagang]] and [[Ryanggang]].

The river is {{convert|795|km|mi|sp=us}} long and receives water from over {{convert|30,000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} of land. The Yalu's most significant [[tributary|tributaries]] are the Changjin ({{Korean|장진강|長津江|labels=no}}), the Hochon ({{Korean|허천강|虛川江|labels=no}}), the Togro ({{Korean|독로강|禿魯江|labels=no}}) rivers from Korea and the [[Ai River (Dandong)|Ai (or Aihe)]] ({{lang|zh|璦河}})  and the [[Tongjia River|Hun]] ({{lang|zh|浑江}}) from China. The river is not easily navigable for most of its length.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 25, 2011|title=Sediments in Korea Bay and Incheon Bay, North and South Korea|url=http://www.eosnap.com/tag/yalu-river/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105042921/http://www.eosnap.com/tag/yalu-river/|archive-date=January 5, 2012|access-date=July 6, 2021|website=www.eosnap.com}}</ref> Most of the river freezes during winter and can be crossed on foot.<ref>{{cite news|title=A trip to the North Korea-China border, in photos|url=https://www.nknews.org/2015/05/a-trip-to-the-north-korea-china-border-in-photos/|publisher=NK News|date=29 May 2015}}</ref>

The depth of the Yalu River varies from some of the more shallow parts on the eastern side in Hyesan ({{convert|1|m|sp=us}}) to the deeper parts of the river near the Yellow Sea ({{convert|2.5|m|sp=us}}).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yalu River {{!}} river, Asia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Yalu-River|access-date=2021-07-06|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> The estuary is the site of the [[Amrok River estuary Important Bird Area]], identified as such by [[BirdLife International]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.birdlife.org |title= Amrok River estuary |access-date=2013-04-25 |work= Important Bird Areas factsheet |publisher= BirdLife International |year= 2013}}</ref>

About 205 islands are on the Yalu. A 1962 [[Sino–North Korean Border Treaty|border treaty between North Korea and China]] split the islands according to which ethnic group was living on each island. North Korea possesses 127 and China 78. Due to the division criteria, some islands such as [[Hwanggumpyong Island]] belong to North Korea, but abut the Chinese side of the river.

==History==

=== Imperial era ===
The river basin is the site where the ancient Korean kingdom of [[Goguryeo]] rose to power. Many former fortresses are located along the river and the former capital of that kingdom was situated at what is now the medium-sized city of [[Ji'an, Jilin|Ji'an]] along the Yalu, a site rich in Goguryeo-era relics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1135/|title=Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom|first=UNESCO World Heritage|last=Centre|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}}</ref>
[[Wihwa Island]] on the river is historically famous as the place where, in 1388, General Yi Songgye (later [[Taejo of Joseon]]) decided to [[Wihwado Retreat|turn back his army southward]] to [[Kaesong]] in the first of a series of revolts that eventually led to the establishment of the [[Joseon|Joseon dynasty]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/06/10/2011061001158.html |title=What Is Hwanggumpyong Island? |author=Jeong Woo-sang |publisher=Digital Chosun |date=10 June 2011 |access-date=1 March 2012}}</ref>

According to one scholar, the Korean-Chinese border along the Yalu River is the longest unchanged international border in history, lasting for at least 1,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Apr 5, 2020 |title=Oldest border in the world |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2021/07/739_287299.html |website=koreatimes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 December 2019 |title=외국인 할아버지가 한국인에게 경복궁 투어를?! 첫번째 밋업! (Dr. Peterson's First Meet-up! Palace Tour) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4s2it6HVE |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/sc4s2it6HVE |archive-date=2021-12-11 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 April 2020 |title=하버드 한국학자가 말하는 한국은 평화로운 역사를 가진 나라?! 소개편 Peaceful Korea – Introduction |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHRaYuHP4A |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/kBHRaYuHP4A |archive-date=2021-12-11 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The river has been the site of several battles because of its strategic location between Korea and China, including:

* [[Battle of the Yalu River (1894)]] – [[First Sino-Japanese War]]
* [[Battle of Yalu River (1904)]] – [[Russo-Japanese War]]
* [[Battle of Chongju (1950)|Battle near to the Yalu River (1950)]] – [[Korean War]]

The southern side of the river was heavily industrialized during the period of [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese rule]] (1910–1945), and by 1945 almost 20% of [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]'s total industrial output originated in [[Korea under Japanese rule|Korea]].<gallery mode="packed" caption="Evolution of Korean territories">
File:Balhae-Territory in 830.JPG|[[Balhae]] or Bohai  (698–926)
File:Koryo map.png|[[Goryeo]] (918–1392)
File:8 Provinces of Korea.png|[[Joseon]] (1392–1897)
File:The Americana - a universal reference library, comprising the arts and sciences, literature, history, biography, geography, commerce, etc. of the world (1903) (14784253612).jpg|[[Chōsen]] (1910–1945)
</gallery>

=== Korean War ===
[[File:Bombing of Yalu River Bridges at Sinuiju - Dandong Nov.1950.jpg|thumb|Bombing of Yalu River Bridges in 1950]]
During the [[Korean War]], the movement of [[United Nations]] troops approaching the river, despite repeated warnings by China not to, precipitated massive Chinese intervention from around [[Dandong]]. In the course of the conflict every bridge across the river except one was destroyed. The one remaining bridge was the [[Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge]] connecting [[Sinuiju]], North Korea to [[Dandong]], China. During the war the valley surrounding the western end of the river also became the focal point of a series of [[dogfight]]s for [[air supremacy]] over North Korea, earning the nickname "[[MiG Alley]]" in reference to the [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15|MiG-15]] [[fighter aircraft|fighters]] flown by the combined North Korean, Chinese, and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] forces.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Budiansky |first=Stephen |title=Code warriors : NSA's codebreakers and the secret intelligence war against the Soviet Union |date=2016 |isbn=978-0-385-35266-6 |location=New York |oclc=922630824}}</ref> As UN forces during the Korean War advanced toward the Yalu, China under Chairman [[Mao Zedong]] entered the war on the side of North Korea under [[Kim Il Sung|Kim Il-sung]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zhang |first=Shu Guang, October 31- |title=Mao's military romanticism : China and the Korean War, 1950–1953 |date=1995 |publisher=University Press of Kansas |isbn=0-7006-0723-4 |location=Lawrence |oclc=32510849}}</ref>

To promote the morale, in 1950 [[Ma Fuyao]] (麻扶摇) and [[Zheng Lücheng]] (郑律成) composed the Chinese military anthem ''The Chinese People's Volunteers Army Song'' (中国人民志愿军战歌), which mentioned the Yalu River, and later the song became one of the most popular and representative musical expressions of the Chinese intervention in Korea. It sings:

{{Blockquote|text=雄赳赳, 气昂昂, 跨过鸭绿江. <br>
保和平, 卫祖国, 就是保家乡. <br>
{{-}}
Marching bold with heads held high, we crossed the Yalu wide.<br>
To guard the peace and homeland dear is home we must defend with pride.}}

=== After the war ===
The river has frequently been crossed by North Koreans fleeing to China since the early 1990s, although the [[Tumen River]] remains the most-used way for such refugees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyqUw0WYwoc| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/DyqUw0WYwoc| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=What North Korean Defectors Think Of North Korea &#124; STAY CURIOUS #1| date=4 December 2016|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:The Yalu River in winter.jpg|thumb|The Yalu near the [[Unbong Dam]]]]

The river is important for [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] power, and one of the largest hydroelectric [[dam]]s in Asia is in [[Sup'ung Dam]], {{convert|106|m|ft|abbr=off}} high and over {{convert|850|m|ft|abbr=off}} long, located upstream from [[Sinuiju]], [[North Korea]]. The dam has created an artificial lake over a portion of the river, called [[Supung Lake]]. In addition, the river is used for transportation, particularly of lumber from its forested banks. The river provides fish for the local population. Downstream of Sup'ung is the [[Taipingwan Dam]]. Upstream of Sup'ung is the [[Unbong Dam]]. Both dams produce hydroelectric power, as well.

In the river delta upstream from [[Dandong]] and adjacent to Hushan are several North Korean villages. Economic conditions in these villages have been described as poor, without access to electricity.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://visitthedprk.org/north-korea-dandong-yalu-river-boatride/| title=We took a boatride on the Yalu River across the Sino-Korean Border. Here's what we saw.| work=visitthedprk.org| date=27 November 2017| access-date=10 January 2018| archive-date=13 November 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113033748/https://www.visitthedprk.org/north-korea-dandong-yalu-river-boatride/| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Crossings==
* [[Ji'an Yalu River Border Railway Bridge]], Ji'an China – Manp'o, North Korea
* [[New Yalu River Bridge]], under construction between Dandong, China and Sinŭiju, North Korea
* [[Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge]], Dandong, China – Sinŭiju, North Korea

== Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Yalu River Short Bridge-2 2012.jpg|The pillar stubs of the [[Yalu River Broken Bridge]] between Dandong and Sinuiju, which was established in 1911 and destroyed during the Korean War (direction of photo looking south into North Korea).
File:Aerial view of Downtown Sinuiju.jpg|The Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge across the Yalu (Amnokgang) linking [[Sinuiju]] and [[Dandong]]; the bridge which opened to traffic in 1943 and also fell to destruction by US aerial attacks during the war but was successfully repaired after 1953.
File:集安通朝鲜满浦铁路桥 - panoramio (2).jpg|The bridge on Yalu from [[Ji'an, Jilin|Ji'an]] to [[Manpo]]
File:The Yalu River - 鸭绿江2.jpg|The Yalu River at [[Ji'an, Jilin|Ji'an]], [[Jilin]]
File:鸭绿江景.jpg|The right side with lush forest is [[Ji'an, Jilin|Ji'an]], China, and on the left is [[Manpo]], [[North Korea]], which can be identified by bare hills, as forests were all chopped for [[Firewood|firewoods]]
File:巡道工出品 Photo by xundaogong - panoramio (23).jpg|Near [[Linjiang]], Jilin
File:巡道工出品 photo by Xundaogong - panoramio (79).jpg|Near [[Changbai County|Changbai]], Jilin
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge]]
* [[China–North Korea relations]]
* [[Geography of China]]
* [[Geography of North Korea]]
* [[Tumen River]]
* [[Wusuli river|Wusuli River]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wiktionary|Yalu|Amnok}}
* [http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9077749/Yalu-River Encyclopædia Britannica]
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Ya-lu-kiang|short=x}}

{{Jilin topics}}
{{China Rivers}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Yalu River| ]]
[[Category:Border rivers]]
[[Category:China–North Korea border]]
[[Category:Dandong]]
[[Category:International rivers of Asia]]
[[Category:Rivers of Jilin]]
[[Category:Rivers of Liaoning]]
[[Category:Rivers of North Korea]]