The Central Plains is divided into broad sense and narrow sense. The "Central Plains" in a broad sense refers to the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, including most of Henan Province and parts of southern Hebei Province, southern Shanxi Province, eastern Shaanxi Province and western Shandong Province around Henan Province. It is the birthplace of Chinese civilization and the cradle of the Chinese nation. The narrow sense of "Central Plains" refers to Henan. The so-called "Central Plains" usually refers to the narrow sense of "Central Plains", that is, Henan. Because Henan is not only the ancestral home of most people in China, but also the political, economic and cultural center of China for most of its history.