Jilin in China: Nature, Winter and Cultural Heritage

China’s Jilin Province combines vast natural landscapes with winter sports and a diverse cultural heritage. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping these different highlights in mind: forests and wetlands shape the landscape, while museums and historic sites offer insights into natural history, film and past cultures.

Landscapes and Nature Reserves

Jingyuetan National Scenic Area lies southeast of Changchun, 18 kilometers from People’s Square in the city center. It covers 96.38 square kilometers, including 5.3 square kilometers of water; forest covers more than 96 percent of the area. The area includes 119 mountain ranges ranging in elevation from 220 to 406.5 meters. It lies at the foot of the Changbai Mountains and forms a transition zone between the eastern Changbai region and the western Horqin grasslands. Forest, water and varied terrain are all highlights here.

Changbai Mountains National Nature Reserve covers 190,000 hectares. It is home to more than 2,400 plant species, 500 vertebrate species and thousands of invertebrate species. Other protected areas in Jilin have their own distinctive features: Xianghai Nature Reserve in Tongyu County is both a national 4A-rated scenic area and a Class A nature reserve. Momoge National Nature Reserve in Baicheng covers 144,000 hectares and is home to numerous white cranes.

Chagan Lake: Wetlands and Fishing Culture

Chagan Lake Scenic Area is located in Qian Gorlos Mongolian Autonomous County, in Songyuan City. Chagan Lake has a water area of 500 square kilometers. It is the largest inland lake in Jilin Province and one of China’s ten largest freshwater lakes. Wildflowers are reflected in the water, while wetlands stretch to the horizon and shape the lake views.

The scenic area combines sightseeing, recreation, dining, shopping and exhibitions. Its seven tourism zones include water recreation, picnicking and camping, ecological wetland tours and agricultural sightseeing. The region’s culture includes a centuries-old Mongolian fishing method recognized as a national item of intangible cultural heritage in China. For winter fishing, holes are drilled in the ice and a two-kilometer-long net is laid underwater; a winch powered by Mongolian horses then pulls it back in. The Chagan Lake Fishing and Hunting Cultural Tourism Festival takes place annually from December 28 to February 28. If you plan to attend, check the dates for that year’s festival.

Winter Sports and Culture in Changchun and Jilin

Lake Songhua Resort is located in Jilin City, Jilin Province. It offers a long snow season and powder snow. The resort has 37 ski runs totaling 41 kilometers, and its ski area covers 175 hectares. These figures give a concrete sense of the scale of the winter sports facilities without assuming any additional activities.

In Changchun, the Changchun Film Studio Museum showcases several aspects of film production. Its areas include the Changchun Film Art Gallery, exhibition spaces dedicated to the studio and printing workshop, the Changchun Film Theater, the Changchun Film Music Hall and Changchun Cultural Street. Through preserved cultural relics, art exhibitions and interactive film experiences, it presents film art, props, special effects, filmmaking and film production. The museum is a national 4A-rated tourist attraction and is among the first group of national industrial tourism sites.

History and Regional Folk Culture

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom includes Guonei City, Wandu Mountain City and 40 tombs in Ji’an City, Jilin Province. The noble tombs have stone chambers beneath earthen mounds. Their murals depict scenes from everyday life, sports, hunting and nature, as well as gods, supernatural beings and dragons.

The museums also each have a distinct focus. Changbai Mountains Natural History Museum is located in Erdaobaihe Town, Antu County. Four halls are devoted to the landscapes, natural resources, and history and development of the Changbai Mountains. Changbaishan Folk Museum displays exhibits from the Manchu and Korean ethnic groups and presents local history and regional folk culture. Jilin Beishan Park Scenic Area brings together Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and folk culture; it is also known for its traditional temple fairs.

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Explore More Destinations

Explore more destinations: Changchun, Tonghua, Yanbian, Jilin, Baicheng, Siping, Baishan, Liaoyuan, Songyuan.

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