Editing Wei River

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The '''Wei River''' (渭河) is the largest tributary of the [[Yellow River]]. It is akin to a straight tail extension of the Yellow River from where it bends {{Wiki|Ordos Plateau|bends at a roughly 90° degree angle}} to run the rest of the way into the {{Wiki|East China Sea}}. As a result, the cities built along the Wei River are directly upstream of those along the Yellow River in the {{wiki|Zhongyuan|Central Plains}}.<ref name="Lewis 2007">Lewis, Mark Edward. (2007). "The Geography of Empire". In ''The Early Chinese Empires: Qin and Han''. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 5–29.</ref> These cities include some of the most significant in the history of [[China]], among them [[Xianyang]], the capital of the [[Qin dynasty]] on the northern bank,<ref name="Lewis 2007" /> and [[Chang'an]], the capital of the [[Han dynasty|Han]]<ref name="Lewis 2007" /> and [[Tang dynasty|Tang dynasties]] on the southern bank.<ref name="Dynasty 36">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Hidden Ones (Part 4)]]</ref>

In contrast to the Central Plains downstream, the Wei River valley is enclosed by mountains on all sides, with the only easy access being the route along the Yellow River.<ref name="Lewis 2007" /> This makes the region a naturally defensible position for dynastic regimes, and the confluence of the Wei and Yellow Rivers was historically protected by the strategic fortress at [[Tong Pass]].<ref name="Dynasty 20">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[Golden Turtles (Part 4)]]</ref> Conversely, when Tong Pass fell in 756 during the [[An Lushan Rebellion]], it left the Chang'an exposed to invasion. [[An Lushan]]'s [[Yan]] forces simply made a beeline up along the Wei River to seize the Tang capital unopposed.<ref name="Dynasty 4 Special">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Last Stand of Justice (Special)]]</ref> Having anticipated that resistance would fail, [[Li Longji|Emperor Xuanzong]] fled the city in advance on 14 July 756<ref name="Dynasty 36" /><ref name="Sinica converter">兩千年中西曆轉換 [Two Thousand Years Chinese–Western Calendar Converter]. Academia Sinica Center for Digital Cultures. Accessed 6 June 2023. https://sinocal.sinica.edu.tw/</ref> with his family and highest officials. Although their destination was the southwest region of [[Shu]], their route required them to first cross the Wei River to the north. To the Emperor's displeasure, the prime minister [[Yang Guozhong]] ordered that the bridge be burned to complicate Lushan's pursuit. The Emperor commanded that the order be rescinded so as not to trap other [[civilian|citizenry]] that might be fleeing after them.<ref name="Dynasty 36" />

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Rivers]]
[[Category:China]]