HONAN, one of the most densely peopled and historically one of the most famous provinces of China. Its name signifies "south of the River," i.e., of the Hwang-ho, whose basin was the scene of Chinese civilization in its formative period, but in fact a part of the province lies north of the river. Honan comprises the south-western portion of the great plain of north China which is here broken by eastward extensions of the Tsin-ling mountain axis. In the north of the province are the fertile terraces bor dering the Yellow river and the important valley of the Lo. This is separated by the chains of the Fu-niu-shan from the rich agricultural land in the valleys of the Upper Hwai and its numer ous affluents. The southern boundary of the province follows in part the crest of the Hwai-yang Shan which divides the Hwai from the Yang-tze basin, but in the south-west it includes the upper valley of the Han river which affords direct communication with the Wu-Han cities. The western and south-western portions of Honan have a general elevation of about 3,00o feet.
If not the birthplace, Honan was certainly the chief centre of the spread and dispersion of early Chinese culture. The open lands above the marshy levels of the Yellow, Hwai and Upper Han rivers were not only valuable settlement sites but controlled the lines of movement either along the Hwai-Hwang-ho watershed to Shantung or by the Hwai-Yang-tze divide to the new culture centres in the Yang-tze valley. It was also the terminus of the corridor route from the west between the Shansi plateau and the easterly spurs of the Tsin-ling and its two chief centres in the north, Loyang (Honan-fu) and Kai-feng, were frequently selected as imperial capitals. The area of the province is about 81,000 sq.m. supporting a population of 32,000,00o, which is mainly rural in character, for more than 9o% of the population lives in towns and villages of less than I o,000 inhabitants.
The densest grouping is in eastern Honan on the higher agri cultural land bordering the Peking-Hankow railway. These east ern plains, especially the districts lying between Changte and Juning yield excellent crops of wheat, maize, millets, cotton, sesame, beans and hemp. But the double danger of drought and flood (from both the Yellow and Hwai rivers) constantly menaces this countryside. A secondary focus of population occurs in the Upper Hwai basin with Nan-yang as its centre. The main indus trial development has been the exploitation of the anthracite coal measures of Honan-fu and the bituminous coals of the Lushan Juchow district. At present the output is moderate in amount and serves only a local demand. Iron, tin and argentiferous lead are also found. Other industrial enterprises include the cotton in dustry of north-east Honan based on local supplies and the silk industry of Nan-yang which utilizes silk from worms fed on the small oaks of the neighbouring Fu-niu-shan. The value of the central position of Honan is as yet neutralized by the lack of transport facilities. The rivers are subject to great seasonal variation of level, while the railway routes, apart from short mineral lines, are restricted to the Peking-Hankow railway and the east-west Lung-Hai line. Honan stands to gain greatly by the development of motor transportation. Kai-feng, the capital city, has an estimated population of nearly 300,00o and Cheng-chow, at the junction of the Lung-Hai line with the trunk railway is an industrial town of growing importance.