Liaohe River

A large river that flows through the southern part of the northeastern region of China. It is 1,430 km long and has a drainage area of ​​192,000 square kilometers. It has two headwaters, the Eastern Liao River and the Western Liao River. The Eastern Liao River originates in Hataling, Liaoyuan City, Jilin Province, and the Western Liao River further splits into two, the northern one and the southern one. The northern Sharmoron River originates in the Baicha Mountains southwest of Hesigtian Banner (county-level administrative district) in the eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the southern Laoha River, which is the main stream, originates in the Guangtou Mountains in Pingquan, Hebei Province. The northern and southern headwaters join east of Kailu in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to become the Western Liao River, which flows east through Tongliao. It flows south from Shuangliao and merges with the Eastern Liaohe River near Guyushu, Changtu County, Liaoning Province, from where it is called the Liaohe River. The Liaohe River flows further south and flows southwest through Tieling, passes through Xinmin, and reaches the area of ​​Liujianfang in Liazhong. It used to flow south from here and empty into the sea near Yingkou, but after a remodeling in 1958, it now flows west through Panshan and into the sea through the Shuangtaizi River. However, the two major tributaries, the Hunhe River, which flows down through Fushun, and the Taizi River, which flows west through Benxi, still flow along the old Liaohe River channel and empty into the sea at Yingkou. Before the river was liberated, it frequently flooded due to its curved channel, high silt content, and drastic changes in flow rate, but flooding has been largely eliminated since its renovation. Many dams have been built on both the main river and its tributaries. The river freezes over for four months in winter. The area downstream of Liujianfang is used for shipping, and the Liaohe oil fields are located downstream. Drainage work has been completed between Panshan at the river mouth and Jinzhou, and reclamation is underway (Panjin Reclamation Area).

[Kono Michihiro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、東北地区南部を流れる大河。全長1430キロメートル。流域面積19万2000平方キロメートル。源流は東西二つあり、東遼河、西遼河とよばれる。東遼河は吉林(きつりん／チーリン)省遼源(りょうげん)市の哈達嶺(はたれい)に発し、西遼河はさらに源流が南北の二つに分かれ、北源のシャルモロン川は内モンゴル自治区東部ヘシグテン旗（県級行政区）南西の白岔(はくた)山に発源し、主流である南源のラオハ河は河北省平泉の光頭山に源を発する。南北の両源流は内モンゴル自治区の開魯(かいろ)東方で合流して西遼河となり、通遼を経て東流する。双遼より南下し、遼寧(りょうねい／リヤオニン)省昌図(しょうと)県古楡樹(こゆじゅ)付近で東遼河と合流、ここから遼河とよばれる。遼河はさらに南下して鉄嶺(てつれい)を経て南西に流れ、新民を通過し遼中の六間房(ろくかんぼう)付近に至る。以前はここから南流し営口(えいこう／インコウ)付近で海に流出していたが、1958年の改修により、現在は西方の盤山を経て双台子(そうだいし)河の河道を通り海に注いでいる。ただし撫順(ぶじゅん／フーシュン)を経て流下する渾河(こんが)と本渓(ほんけい／ペンシー)を経て西流する太子河の二大支流は、いまも遼河の旧河道を流れ営口で海に注ぐ。河道が屈曲し含泥量が多く流量の変化が激しいので、解放前はよく水害を起こしたが、改修されて水害はほぼ解消した。本・支流とも多くのダムが建設されている。冬季には4か月間凍結する。六間房より下流は舟運に利用され、また下流部に遼河油田がある。河口部の盤山と錦州(きんしゅう／チンチョウ)の間は排水工事が完成し開墾が進んでいる（盤錦墾区）。

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