In Zhejiang, the rivers irrigate large tracts of farmland and nurtured its early civilization. The numerous tributaries make travel among various parts relatively easy. Rivers are one of the most notable symbols of Zhejiang. The Yuyao River, which empties into the sea, nurtured the Liangzhu Civilization; the Cao's River produced such shining historical figures as Wang Xizhi(master calligrapher), Xie An (prime minister during the 4 th century AD who won victory in a classic battle), and Lu Xun(greatest writer in modern China); and the Qiantang River is most famous for the towering Qiantang tidal bore rarely seen elsewhere in the world.

While Zhejiang's mountains may be compared to the unyielding spirit of its people, its lakes to their intelligence, its seas to their large-mindedness, and its streams to their ancient origin, then its major rivers can be said to embody in a concentrated way the character of its people; in a state of stillness they are as tranquil as the moon's reflection in water; in a state of action they surge forward with great momentum, sending tidal waves to all corners of the land.