As the Chinese regard yellow as an emblem of loess land, the emperor, the yellow skin and the legendary Chinese Dragon, the Yellow River is referred as not only a river, but also "the Mother River" and "the Cradle of the Chinese Civilization". 30 million years ago, ancient Chinese started to live by the shore of the Yellow River and played the overture of the ancient Chinese civilization. Six thousand years ago, as a representative of the matriarchal culture, Banpo Clan had existence on the Loess land of north China.

It is commonly considered that the Yellow River can be divided into the three following reaches. The upper reaches is referred to the area above the Hekou Town in Tuoketuo County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The river in this section goes rushing and carries for nearly 50 percent of water resource of Yellow river. The middle reaches runs from Hekou Town to Tao Huayu in Zhengzhou, Henan Province and the lower reaches of the Yellow River is recognized as the area below Tao Huayu.