Metamorphoses: Two River Islands in Nanjing 47 RHGT

Xu Duoduo
unpublished
The present study illustrates the historical toponymy and historical topography of two river islands (located in the Yangtze River), belonging to the territory of Nanjing, China. The toponymic analysis was carried out from a collection of ancient maps. The current Bailu Zhou Island has inherited its name from a poem written by Li Bai after the ancient Bailu Zhou 'disappeared' because of hydro-geo-morphological events over time. Bagua Zhou Island, with its enigmatic name, was shaped gradually in
more » ... the Yangtze River by the processes of erosion and accumulation of debris. Besides clarifying the historical toponymy and cartography of the two islands, the paper inserts their history among other cases of 'exchanged' place names. This research reveals that both natural and human factors contribute to the toponymic replacement of islands. It shows, moreover, the relevance of changes in the hydro-geo-morphology of river islands, due to the instability of river phenomena, in affecting their naming process.
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