|
|
|
Changchun |
|
Changchun is a young city with a long history. There
were human activities here as early as 70,000 years ago and the
earliest primitive hordes inhabited the area some 7,000 years ago. It
was the possession of the "Fuyuguo" kingdom and the Bohaiyuan Kingdom
successively. The years under the reign of the Liao (907-1125) and Jin
(1115-1234) dynasties are considered the most prosperous periods in
the history of Changchun. The Prefecture of "Huanglongfu" was
established in the area of Nongan and an ancient pagoda built in the
Liao Dynasty still exists. In 18000, the court of the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911), established in today's Xinlicheng, the Changchun Ting-an
administrative division at the sub-provincial level. In the period
1931-1945, Changchun was reduced to the capital of the puppet
Manchukuo regime, called "Xinjing" -the new capital.
In October 1948, Changchun was liberated and designated as a special
city. In 1954, it was made the capital of Jilin Province. In 1955, it
became a municipality directly under the central government. In 1979,
it was listed as one of the country's 15 central economic cities. In
1989, it was approved as one of the municipalities with independent
budgetary status by the State Council. In 1992, it was designated as a
key open city. In 1994, it was listed as a city enjoying
sub-provincial status. Changchun has a long history and a modernized
civilization. |
|
Back to the Top
 |
|
Geography |
|
Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province, its
political, economic and cultural center, and one of the first group of
Top Tourist Cities of China. Changchun is situated on the central
Northeast China Plain. The area under its jurisdiction is encompassed
by 124 degrees 18 minuted-127 degrees 02 minutes east longitude, and
43 degrees 05 minutes-45 degrees 15 minutes north latitude. The city
covers an area of 20,571 square km, and has under its jurisdiction
Chaoyang, Nan guan, Kuancheng, Erdao, Luyuan and Shuangyang, and Yushu,
Jiutai and Dehui, the three cities at the county level and Nongan
County, with a population of 6,838 million, including an urban
population of 2.788 million. Changchun is rich in resources and has a
developed economy. It is one of China's first group of 40 Cities with
an Excellent Infrastructure for Investment. It as always enjoyed the
reputation of being an "automobile city", "film city", "city of
science and technology", "forest city" and "granary of north China". |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Climate |
|
Changchun, a transitional
area situated between the east humid mountainous region and the west
dry plain, has a continental semi-humid monsoon climate of a temperate
region. The winter is long, cold and dry, with an average temperature
of -16.3 degrees centigrade in January and a snow depth up to 22 cm.
The spring and autumn are short and the weather changes all the time.
The summer is warm and humid. Its annual precipitation is in the range
between 522 and 615 mm, with 60% falling in summer. The average
temperature in July is 23 degrees centigrade. The four distinctive
seasons make Changchun a pleasant city where visitors can enjoy
beautiful sunshine in spring, green leaves in summer, fruits in autumn
and ice and snow in winter. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Natural Ecological
Environment |
|
Changchun is located in the Northeast China Plain of the middle
latitudes area of the North Hemisphere and east Eurasia. It is
situated at the foot of mountains and by the side of streams, and most
of the plain are tablelands. It has a continental semi-humid monsoon
climate of a temperate region. Eight rivers, including the second
Songhua River, Yinma River and Yitong River, flow across the city. It
has more than 300 species of plants and 34 species of wild animals. It
is a transition area from forest to plain. As its vast land teems with
corn, it is called "golden corn belt". |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Economy |
|
Changchun is the economic center of Jilin Province and the country's
important base for the production of commodity grains, as well as a
key industrial base. It has form ed a rationaleconomic structure with
deep processing of agricultural products, automobile manufacturing and
high technology as pillar industries, and with a coordinated
development of industry, agriculture and tertiary industry and
rational structure.
Changchun ranks first among provincial capitals in gross grain yield,
per capita share of grains, volume of commodity grains and net volume
of grain outflow. The China No.1 Automobile Group Corp. and the
Changchun Passenger train Manufacturing Factory are respectively the
largest and most comprehensive automobile manufacturing, trading and
research base in China, and the largest passenger and underground
railway train manufacturing and research base. The gross revenue from
technology, industry and trade, and the GDP in high-tech and economic
development zones rank 7th and 10th respectively among similar
development zones in the country.
Tourism has been listed as the industry with the priority of
development and been regarded and supported as a new point
spearheading local economic growth. The Jingyue Pool Tourist Economic
Development Zone, depending on the state-level Jingyue Pool park, has
formed a comprehensive development area integrating tourism with
holidaymaking, entertainment and health. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Culture |
|
Changchun is an important city in terms of science, technology and
culture in China. It has 27 full-time colleges and universities, 103
independent scientific research and technological development
institutions, 15 state key and open laboratories, and 336,000
technological personnel in a wide range of fields. It ranks first in
the country in the proportion of scientific and technological
personnel in its population. It holds a safe lead in the study of
optical electronics, precision instruments, laser technology, high
polymer materials, bioengineering and automobile technology.
Changchun Film Studio is the cradle of the film undertaking of New
China and the country's largest and comprehensive film producing base.
Changchun has hosted four national film festivals since 1992, making a
positive contribution to the prosperity of the national film industry.
Ji Opera and Errenzhuan (a song-and-dance duet), are especially
popular in Changchun. The melodious tune and lively forms are well
received by local people and tourists. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
A Survey of Tourist
Industry |
|
Changchun has enjoyed a comparatively rapid
development of its tourist industry in the 1990s and has formed a
preliminary tourism system with a coordinated development of six
factors related to food, accommodation, transport, sightseeing,
shopping and entertainment. The functions of the city in tourism have
become increasingly conspicuous.
The tourism economy has grown rapidly and the position of tourist
industry has become more conspicuous. In 1998, Changchun received a
total of 34,000 overseas and 6.8 million domestic tourists, 42 and 146
percent higher respectively than that at the beginning of the 1990s.
Foreign exchange earnings stood at us$15 million, and domestictourist
income at 1.2 billion yuan, six and 12 times higher than at the
beginning of the 1990s. The number of people engaged in
tourism-related businesses amounted to 15,352. Changchun has listed
the tourist industry in the city's Ninth Five-Year Plan and the
Prospective Long-Term Program to the Year 2010 and as one of its 10
key industries in economic and social development. In the city's
development target for the tertiary sector, tourism has been given
priority in development as a new point spearheading local economic
growth.
Tourist attractions have begun to take shape and the varieties of
tourist products have increased. The city has 23 scenic sites open to
tourist and has initially formed a series of high-grade and varied
tourist products. Among them, the Jingyue Pool, Changchun Film City,
Kalun Lake Holiday Resort, Weihuang Palace, Nanhu Park and Shuangyang
Tourist Area are taking shape, receiving more than 100,000 visitors
annually. Jingyue Pool is a state-level scenic resort, a national
forest park and a provincial-level holiday center.
The reception capability has strengthened and the quality of service
has gradually improved. At the end of the 1980s, Changchun had only
one star-rated hotel and four travel agencies. Currently, the city has
23 star-rated hotels, including two five-star, one four-star, 11
three-star, seven two-star and one one-star. It has 18 travel
agencies, including 11 international ones and seven domestic ones. It
has 22 restaurants and shops open to overseas tourists authorized by
the tourist administration, and two tour coach companies to meet the
needs of tourists.
Tourist transport has become more convenient and communications can
meet current needs. Each day, some 51 pairs of trains start from or
end at the new railway station of Changchun. International and
domestic scheduled flights now number 36. Four expressways, with
Changchun as the hub, have been completed and urban transport has
formed a network. Changchun has opened direct telephone links with
more than 400 domestic cities and more than 180 countries and regions.
Changchun's modern functions for tourism development have continuously
been strengthened and tourist environment further improved. With the
progress of building Changchun into a modernized international city
and the further deepening of building it into one of China's top
tourist cities, Changchun will become a standardized international
city, a major tourist center of the Northeast and a distribution
center of tourist. It will create a more beautiful and cleaner
environment for tourists. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
City Flower of Changchun |
|
Kaffir lily is a potted
flower loved by Changchun citizens. The flower is graceful, beautiful
and evergreen, has a high ornamental value, and enjoys a high
reputation both at home and abroad.
Changchun citizens like growing and admiring flowers, especially the
kaffir lily. Its cultivation has a history of half a century. It is
cultivated not only carefully by specialized departments, but also
widely by common people. Over the past few years, new and improved
varieties of kaffir lily have come out one after another. In 1986
Changchun's kaffir lily won the championship in the 19th flower
exhibition of Hong Kong.
In October 1984, the kaffir lily was named the city flower of
Changchun by the standing committee of the Changchun People's
Congress. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Tourist Logo of Changchun |
|
 The
tourist symbol of Changchun is composed of sculptures of a towering
sunbird, a standing man and a woman lying on her side, reflecting the
aspirations of Changchun citizens to pursue the harmonious
co-existence of humanity and nature and to build a beautiful homeland.
The sculpture shows that Changchun citizens welcome domestic and
overseas tourists with a natural, historical and cultural landscape,
and a beautiful environment. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
Local Culture |
|
Ji Opera
Ji Opera was formerly a local opera of Errenzhuan infused with a rich
local flavor. Thanks to close attention paid by the art circles,
theatrical programs such as "Bao Gong Makes An Apology" have been
awarded the second prize at local opera theatrical festival. Ji Opera
has developed into a medium opera with novel performing techniques and
has been warmly received by tourists.
Acrobatics
The Changchun Acrobatic Troupe was founded in 1956. "Bowls-topping on
a high bicycle" and "High-Altitude Wire-Walking" created by the troupe
won the "Monaco City Prize" and the "Monte Carlo TV Station Prize" at
the 12th Monte Carlo Circus Festival. The troupe has also won the Gold
Lion Prize at the China Wuqiao International Acrobatic and Art
Festival. Its superb techniques and breath-taking performance have
been warmly received by viewers of various countries.
Yanggo Dance in Northeast China
Yanggo Dance in Northeast China, originated in the Late Qing Dynasty,
is very popular in this area. Yanggo has various forms. With gongs,
drums, cymbals accompaniment, the dancers, fan in hand, dance
naturally with grace. Their costumes are of strong Northeastern
flavor. When many people dance in groups, it's a magnificent sight.
Now Yanggo has become one of the activities to celebrate festivals in
Northeast China.
Errenzhuan
Errenzhuan, originated from the local yanggo (a popular rural folk
dance), has a history of some 200 years. The man and woman sing and
dance in the performance. The man acts the clown and the woman plays
the female character types in it. Both are singing and acting and play
the roles regardless of the number of persons in the story.
The traditional and theatrical programs of Errenzhuan numbering 300,
such as "West Chamber," "Blue Bridge" and "Bao Gong Makes an Apology"
have for years been welcomed by the people in northeast China. Some
theatrical programs have been performed overseas and have won good
comments by foreign friends. |
|
Back to the Top
|
|
|
| |
|
 Information
provided by
China National
Tourism Administration. |
|
|
|
