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How is the Fen River used for transportation in Shanxi?
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Shanxi
Timber pagoda of the Fogong Temple, 1056, Song dynasty; at Yingxian, Shanxi province, China.
The Fen River is not a significant waterway for transportation in Shanxi province due to its torrential course, steep gradients, and rapids. It has never been a useful waterway except in its lower reaches.1
While the river is navigable for small, flat-bottomed boats as far north as Linfen, and junk traffic is possible as far as Quwu, freight traffic on the river is considered insignificant. Instead, Shanxi relies heavily on an extensive network of rail lines and express highways for the movement of raw materials, industrial commodities, and foodstuffs.12