The Natural Environment and Traffic Route in Manchuria

Author : ​Yeo, HoKyu

Page : 169-225

Abstract

  The topography of the Manchuria area is divided into the Northeast Plains(The Plains of the Songhwa River and the Liaohe River Basin) in the central part and the mountainous-hilly area outside. The distribution pattern of resident groups varies depending on the climate, not the topography. The central and southern part of Manchuria was warm and rich in precipitation, so farmers of the Yemaek co㎜unity lived there. The northwestern part of Manchuria was dry due to low precipitation, and nomads from the Dongho co㎜unity lived there. The northeastern part of Manchuria was a cold climate area, where hunter-gatherers from the Eupru co㎜unity lived. The Northeast Plains in the central part of Manchuria is a vast plain, but it has not formed a political center because it is a border area between farmers and nomads. 

  The main traffic routes in the Manchuria area were divided into the Changbai Mountain Range district in the southeast and the eastern foot of the Daxinganling Mountain Range in the northwest, bordering on the Northeast Plains. The traffic routes in the Changbai Mountain Range district developed in the form of connecting the river coastal routes between the mountain ranges. In contrast, the traffic routes at the eastern foot of the Daxinganling Mountain Range penetrated the grasslands and desert areas. Traffic routes in the Liaoxi area and Liaodong Plain area along the coast of Bohai Bay developed early on, and the Chinese Dynasties advanced here and used it as a passageway to dominate the East area. 

  Until the 10th century, traffic routes in the Manchuria area developed by region, including the southeast of the Northeast Plains, the northwest of the Northeast Plains, and the Liaoxi-Liaodong area along the coast of Bolhai Bay. Goguryeo and Balhae reorganized traffic routes around the Changbai Mountain Range in the southeast of the Northeast Plains, and made the area of the Northeast Plains a border area to defend the Chinese dynasty and nomads. Chinese Dynasties also established traffic routes in the Liaoxi-Liaodong area along the coast of Bolhai Bay, but it was concentrated in the southwestern part of Manchuria. Until the 10th century, a traffic route network closely linked throughout Manchuria was not established. 

  After the founding of the Khitan or Jin Dynasty, the traffic route network linking all of Manchuria began to be gradually established. Kitan and Jin Dynasty incorporated the area of the Northeast Plains into territory, and built various traffic routes that cross or pass through the Northeast Plains. The traffic route network linking all of Manchuria was more densely maintained throughout the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Thus, during the Qing Dynasty, major traffic route networks were established connecting the entire Manchuria area, and several arterial traffic routes were opened from the Songhwa River basin or the Nun River basin to Beijing.

< Key Words >

​Manchuria, Traffic Route, Border Area, Northeast Plains(Plains of the Songhwa River and the Liaohe River Basin: 松遼大平原), Changbai Mountain Range(長白山脈), Daxinganling Mountain Range(大興安嶺山脈)​​