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The central Chinese provinces of Shanxi , Shaanxi , Henan and Shandong are linked and dominated by the Yellow River (Huang He), which has played a vital role in their history, geography and fortunes. The river is often likened to a dragon, a reference not just to its sinuous course, but also to its uncontrollable nature, and its behaviour, by turns benign and malevolent. It provides much-needed irrigation to an area otherwise arid and inhospitable, but as its popular nickname, "China's Sorrow", hints, its floods and changes of course have repeatedly caused devastation, and for centuries helped to keep the delta region in Shandong one of the poorest areas in the nation. The river's modern name is a reference to the vast quantities of yellow silt - loess - it carries, which has clogged and confused its course throughout history, and which has largely determined the region's geography. Loess is a soft soil, prone to vertical fissuring, and in Shanxi and northern Shaanxi it has created one of China's most distinctive landscapes, plains scarred with deep, winding crevasses, in a restricted palette of browns. In southern Shaanxi and Henan, closer to the river, the landscape is flat as a pancake and about the same colour. It may look barren, but where irrigation has been implemented the loess becomes rich and fertile , easily tillable with the simplest of tools. It was in this soil, on the Yellow River's flood plain, that Chinese civilization first took root. Sites of Neolithic habitation along the river are common, but the first major conurbation appeared around three thousand years ago, heralding the establishment of the Shang dynasty. For the next few millennia, every Chinese dynasty had its capital somewhere in the area and most of the major cities, from Datong in the north, capital of the Northern Wei, to Kaifeng in the east, capital of the Song, have spent some time as the centre of the Chinese universe, however briefly. With the collapse of imperial China the area sank into provincialism, and it was not until late this century that it again came to prominence. The old capitals have today found new leases of life as industrial and commercial centres, and thus present two sides to the visitor: a static history, preserved in the interests of tourism, and a rapidly changing, and sometimes harsh, modernity. It is the remnants of dynastic history that provide the most compelling reason to visit, but the region also has much to offer in the way of scenery, with more than its fair share of holy mountains. Shanxi Province is the poor relation of the set, relatively underdeveloped and with the least agreeable climate - temperatures hit minus 15°C in winter - and geography, a swathe of mountain plateau. But it does have some great attractions, most notably the stunning Yungang cave temples , and one of the most beautiful - and inaccessible - holy mountains, Wutai Shan . Dotted around the small towns along the single rail line leading south to the Yellow River plain, you'll find quirky temples and villages that seem stuck in the last century. In contrast, wealthy Xi'an , capital of low-lying, fertile Shaanxi Province, has as many temples, museums and tombs as the rest of the province put together, with the Terracotta Army deservedly ranking as one of China's premier sights. It's also the home of a substantial Muslim minority, whose cuisine is well worth sampling. Within easy travelling distance of here, following the Yellow River east, are two more holy mountains, Hua Shan and Song Shan (home of the legendary Shaolin monks), and the city of Luoyang in Henan, with the superb Longmen cave temples and Baima Si just outside. Continuing east brings you to the little-visited but appealing town of Kaifeng , a mellow place that provides a refreshing change of scale. A diversion to Anyang , capital of the Shang dynasty, or to the Linxian Canal , a reminder of China's modern history, is possible from here. Farther east lies Shandong, a province with less of a distinctive identity, but home to more small and intriguing places - Qufu , the birthplace of Confucius, with its giant temple and mansion, Tai Shan , the most popular holy mountain in the area, and the bizarre city of Qingdao , a replica of a Bavarian village built by the Germans in the last century. With generally good rail links, a well-developed tourist industry and an agreeable climate outside the winter months, travel in the region presents few difficulties, although the rail network in Shanxi and northern Shaanxi is noticeably sparse and their cities are still a decade or so behind their richer southern neighbours. Sadly, the capricious nature of the river makes river travel impossible in the region. Most towns and cities now have hotels offering accommodation catering for a wide range of budgets, with a few travellers' dormitories in the most popular destinations. The best-value hotels, though, are in small towns, such as Kaifeng, Qufu and Tai'an, which are anxious to attract visitors.
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