Central China

The name of a region in central-eastern China. It is generally used as a general term for the area covering the three provinces of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi, which are in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (Changjiang). However, since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, a regional division has often been used that includes Jiangxi Province in the East China Region and Hubei Province and Hunan Province in the Central-South Region. This was originally a division of military districts, but now it is also used as an economic cooperation zone, and Central China is not often used as an administrative regional division.

Central China is separated from North China by the Dabie Mountains in the north, from South China by the Nanling Mountains in the south, from Southwest China (Sichuan and Guizhou provinces) by the Wushan Mountains in the west, and from Fujian Province by the Wuyi Mountains in the southeast. There is no clear natural boundary between Central China and the Anhui and Zhejiang provinces in eastern China. Central China is centered on the Jianghan Plain and the Poyang Lake Plain around Dongting Lake, and the wide river valleys of the large tributaries of the Yangtze River, such as the Han River, Xiang River, and Gan River, stretch from north to south, but there are many mountainous areas around it. The plains are a producer of rice, cotton, and rapeseed, while the hills, despite their poor red soil, produce high-quality tea and sweet potatoes. The mountains also produce a lot of forest products such as lacquer, tung oil, camellia oil (tea oil), and pine resin, as well as cedar wood. Industrial cities such as Wuhan, Changsha, Zhuzhou, Hengyang, Nanchang, and Shiyan have also developed, and in addition to light industry, heavy chemical industries such as steelmaking (Wuhan) and automobiles (Shiyan) are also thriving, and Jingdezhen is a traditional producer of porcelain. Although some coal and oil are also produced, the country is known more for its minerals such as iron (Daye), copper, and tungsten. Many large dams have been built in the Yangtze River system, such as Gezhouba and Danjiangkou, and the Three Gorges Dam was completed in 2009. Historically, during the Warring States period, the Chu Dynasty saw the discovery of numerous valuable artifacts in various places, including the Mawangdui Han Tombs. There are also historical sites such as Red Cliffs, but there are many places connected to the Chinese Revolution, particularly Jinggangshan, Shaoshan (where Mao Zedong's former residence is located), and Ruijin.

[Kono Michihiro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国中東部の地区名。一般には長江(ちょうこう／チャンチヤン)（揚子江(ようすこう／ヤンツーチヤン)）中流部にあたる湖南(こなん／フーナン)、湖北(こほく／フーペイ)、江西(こうせい／チヤンシー)の3省にわたる地域の総称として用いられる。ただし新中国になってからは江西省を華東地区に、湖北省、湖南省を中南地区に含める地域区分がしばしば使われる。これはもともとは軍事的な管区の区分であったが、現在は経済協作（協力）区としてもこの区分が使われ、華中は行政的な地域区分としてはあまり使われない。

　華中は、北は大別(だいべつ／ターピエ)山脈などを境として華北と、南は南嶺(なんれい／ナンリン)によって華南と、西は巫山(ふざん／ウーシャン)山脈などによって西南（四川(しせん／スーチョワン)）、貴州(きしゅう／コイチョウ)両省と境され、東南は武夷(ぶい／ウーイー)山脈により福建(ふっけん／フーチエン)省と分けられる。華東の安徽(あんき／アンホイ)、浙江(せっこう／チョーチヤン)両省との境には明瞭(めいりょう)な自然境界はない。華中は洞庭湖(どうていこ／トンティンフー)周辺の両湖(りょうこ)（江漢）平原と鄱陽湖(はようこ)平原を中心とし、漢水(かんすい／ハンショイ)、湘江(しょうこう／シヤンチヤン)、贛江(かんこう／カンチヤン)など長江の大支流のつくる広い河谷が南北に広がるが、周辺には山地が多い。平野部は米、ワタ、菜種の産地で、丘陵部はやせた赤色土だが良質の茶とサツマイモを産する。また山地では漆、桐油(とうゆ)、椿油(つばきあぶら)（茶油）、松脂(まつやに)などの林産物と杉材の産出が多い。武漢(ぶかん／ウーハン)、長沙(ちょうさ／チャンシャー)、株州(しゅしゅう／チューチョウ)、衡陽(こうよう／ホンヤン)、南昌(なんしょう／ナンチャン)、十堰(じゅうえん／シーイエン)など工業都市も発達し、軽工業以外に製鉄（武漢）、自動車（十堰）をはじめ重化学工業も盛んで、景徳鎮(けいとくちん／チントーチェン)は磁器の伝統的産地である。石炭、石油も若干生産されるが、むしろ鉄（大冶(だいや／ターイエ)）、銅、タングステンなど鉱産物で知られる。また長江水系には葛洲壩(かっしゅうは)、丹江口(たんこうこう)など多くの大型ダムが建設され、さらに2009年には三峡ダムも完成した。歴史的には戦国の楚(そ)にあたり、各地で貴重な遺物の発見が相次ぎ、馬王堆漢墓(まおうたいかんぼ)からはきわめて多数の貴重な遺物が発見された。赤壁(せきへき)その他史跡もあるが、とくに井岡山(せいこうざん／チンカンシャン)や韶山(しょうざん／シャオシャン)（毛沢東(もうたくとう／マオツォートン)の旧居がある）、瑞金(ずいきん／ロイチン)をはじめ、中国革命にゆかりの場所が多い。

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