The river known as the "Yellow River" is called the Huang He in Mandarin Chinese. It is the second-longest river in China and is significant for being one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. The river gets its name from the yellow silt, or loess, that it carries from its upper reaches, which gives the water a yellowish hue. The Huang He is crucial for agriculture in northern China, as its basin is fertile and supports rice and wheat cultivation. However, it is also infamous for its unpredictable flooding, which has caused significant historical devastation.