Dōngmíng

Dongming lies on the floodplain of the Yellow River, whose shifting course repeatedly altered the county’s fortunes. Its seat moved after the river changed course under the Jin, and flooding remained a danger through later centuries. In 1650 a breach at Jinglongkou sent water into the county town, destroying houses and bringing down three sides of its walls. The town’s history is inseparable from the river beside it.