Qinling–Huaihe Line

[3] Running from Qin Mountain in the west to Huai River in the east, it divides eastern China into northern and southern regions that differ from each other in climate, culture, lifestyle, and cuisine.

[4] In 1908, Chinese geographer Zhang Xiangwen defined northern China as anything above a line running along the Qinling in the west and the Huai River the east.

[6] In the 1950s, when large social projects were common yet the country was poor, it was decided that subsidized district heating systems would only be installed north of the line.

[6] Because the major source of heating came from coal-burning plants as of 2010, the north has historically suffered from heavier air pollution.

Some places just south of the Qinling–Huaihe Line can become quite cold in the winter, making life difficult especially for those who cannot afford electrical heating at the market rate.

China in the 12th century. The north of the Qinling–Huaihe Line was under control of the Jin dynasty , while the south was under control of the Song dynasty
Northern and Southern Dynasties circa 497: Northern Wei and Southern Qi .
Köppen climate types of China, Qinling-Huaihe is the division line between colder northern China and temperate southern China.