Climate and Society of China

Climate and Society of China

Monsoons, Flooding & Droughts

Believe it or not, there is a direct correlation between weather, climate and society. Since the first civilizations of the world, these three themes have affected one another. Weather has influenced civilizations in terms of the clothing and shelter which are necessary to protect oneself from the elements. On the other extreme, climate and weather have also acted as positive factors in the case of areas such as Cancun, Mexico. Continuous exceptional weather conditions have molded this area into a vacation Eden to which millions flock throughout the year to escape their own respective meteorologically disadvantaged (e.g. cold, snowy, rainy) regions. Through an intense observation of China ’s weather patterns, as well as those specifically found in the capital city of Beijing, similar relationships involving its weather, climate and society were found, although it is not as fortunate as its Mexican peers. Beijing and China both have a storied past dating back hundreds of years with claim to such masterpieces and historical artifacts as the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square.

In terms of weather, on a more negative note, China has had the misfortune of being plagued annually by destructive monsoons. For centuries, these monsoons have had a devastating effect on China ’s agriculture, society and economy, but at the same time the persistence of the Chinese despite these demoralizing meteorological events shows their impressive unyielding character, strength and vigor.

Monsoons are not a phenomenon limited specifically to the Chinese continent, but instead they wreak havoc indiscriminately in Africa and India as well. A monsoon is defined as, any of a type o...

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... that nearly as many as seven million Chinese perished during these fourteenth century floods.27 For the record, it is important to realize that this speculative hypothesis is nothing more than a theory, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Beijing and China are obviously in a different climatic region as compared to the majority of the United States. Fortunately for the Chinese, technology and advancements have been developed to help limit the effects of the climate on society; irrigation to deal with droughts, dams and dykes to aid in flood diversion and control, and proper medicine to eradicate epidemics and combat other flood-related health tribulations. Between the monsoons, flooding, droughts and famines, Beijing and China seem to have been a formidable place to live, especially in the past with all the challenges involved in Asia ’s unforgiving climate.