Qinghe County was located in the Nanshan region, but it wasn't named for the mountains. Instead, its name came from the Qing River, a waterway that originated in the Nanshan Mountain Range and flowed through Qinghe County and several other counties from south to north.
The river was fed by mountain springs, its water clear and sweet, hence the name Qing River.
Qinghe County was, in turn, named after the river.
The Qing River flowed through several counties, and in an age where goods were carried by shoulder pole or beast of burden, rivers served as vital arteries for transportation.
There was no off-season. Throughout the year, from spring to winter, the Qing River was always teeming with boats, as numerous as hairs on an ox's back.
For someone looking to get far away from Qinghe County, there was clearly no faster or more convenient way than to travel downriver.
