The White Jade River, also known by the native names Baiyu or Yurungkash, is a river in the southern Xinjiang region of China.
The head waters of the river rise in the Kunlun Mountains, in the Togatax area (35°36′N 81°24′E / 35.6°N 81.4°E / 35.6; 81.4). The river flows east for some 200 km and then north for another 200 km before passing Khotan (37°07′N 79°58′E / 37.11°N 79.97°E / 37.11; 79.97). North of Khotan, it eventually dries up in the Taklamakan desert, its seasonal bed joined by that of the Karakash River near Koxlax (some 200 km north of Khotan, 38°05′N 80°34′E / 38.08°N 80.56°E / 38.08; 80.56), from where it continues north as the Khotan River passing Piqanlik (40°03′N 80°53′E / 40.05°N 80.89°E / 40.05; 80.89), and seasonally crossing the desert, joining the Tarim River at 42°29′N 80°56′E / 42.483°N 80.933°E / 42.483; 80.933. The river drains an area of 14,575 km2 (5,627 sq mi) and has a discharge of 72.3 cubic metres per second (2,550 cu ft/s).
The river gets its name from the white jade that is often found in its alluvial deposits.
Famous quotes containing the words white, jade and/or river:
“The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.”
—John Boyle O’Reilly (1844–1890)
“Do not pray for gold and jade and precious things; pray that your children and grandchildren may all be good.”
—Chinese proverb.
“If a walker is indeed an individualist there is nowhere he can’t go at dawn and not many places he can’t go at noon. But just as it demeans life to live alongside a great river you can no longer swim in or drink from, to be crowded into safer areas and hours takes much of the gloss off walking—one sport you shouldn’t have to reserve a time and a court for.”
—Edward Hoagland (b. 1932)