Geography is a science that investigates the mutual relationships and interac-tions between natural and human elements on the earth's surface, and is a science of the covergence between natural sciences and social sciences. The basic rules of geography touch upon both natural process and social process. There are altogether three basic rules in geography.
Firstly, the rule of regional differentiation, including latitudinal zonality, meridional zonality, altitutinal zonality and none zonality.
Secondly, the rule of regional complex, including the rule of distance decay, and the rule of regional system.
Thirdly, the rule of regional development, including the periodic law of geographical environment and the rule of the period of man-land relationship.
Many important historical problems, such as the appearance of ancient cultural countries, the economical taking off in East Asia, and the Open Policy of China, are impacted by the basic rules of geography.