Jilin, China

🇨🇳 Jilin City (吉林市), alternately Kirin, is the second-largest city and former capital of Jilin province in north-east China. Its built-up (or metro) area consisting of four urban districts. A prefecture-level city, it is the only major city nationally that shares its name with its province.

Jilin City is also known as the River City because of the Songhua River surrounding much of the city. In 2007, it co-hosted the Asian Winter Games.

Jilin City is situated in a hilly area near the Songhua River. There are four famous mountains surrounding Jilin City, which is North Mountain in the west, Long Tan Mountain in the east, Zhuque Mountain in the North, and Turtle Mountain in the south, plus Songhua River, it forms a bagua in Taiji pattern. North Mountain, called Beishan, is the most famous mountain in Jilin City and is home to several Buddhist Temples. The Qianlong Emperor reportedly visited the mountain.

Tourist Industry Jilin City is a popular destination for tourists to come each winter to view the magnificent rime ice (雾凇; 霧凇) on trees along the banks of the Songhua River, (the river is the only river in the region that does not freeze in winter). The rime ice is a natural phenomenon that occurs every year during January and February. It is a result of when water vapor rises up from the warm Songhua River to meet the cold −20 °C (−4 °F) night air, causing the crystallisation of water vapour on willows branches.

Attractions: • Meteorite Museum (largest stony meteorite of a documented meteorite fall) • North Hill (Beishan in Chinese) Park (North-West of Jilin) • Dragon Pool Mountain Park • Songhua Lake (South-East of Jilin) • Wulajie (乌拉街; formerly also transcribed as Wulakai) Old City, a Qing Dynasty walled town in Longtan District, on the east bank of the Sungari River downstream from Jilin's main urban area. The place was the centre for collection of local products to the imperial court during the Qing Dynasty. In 1682 - when, according to Ferdinand Verbiest, Wulajie (Ula) was "the most illustrious city of the whole province" - the Kangxi Emperor himself visited the place to enjoy sturgeon fishing. These days, a public school nearby is one of the few schools in the country where some Manchu is taught.

Universities and Colleges • Beihua University • Northeast Dianli University • Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology • Jilin Agriculture University • Jilin Medical College.

Transport: Air The city used to be served by the Jilin Ertaizi Airport (IATA: JIL, ICAO: ZYJL). But by October 3, 2005, all of its commercial flights were transferred to the newly opened Changchun Longjia International Airport while Jilin Airport halted operation.

The airport is located about 76 km (47 mi) away from the Jilin City and has flights to many cities from the airport. China Southern Airlines also provide some international connections directly from Changchun.

Transport: Rail Jilin is served by the Jilin railway station. Jilin railway station is on the East-West Changchun-Tumen Railway mainline and provides convenient access to many cities around China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Jinan, Hangzhou. Services to Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang are also frequent and convenient through the Harbin-Dalian high-speed rail and its branch from Changchun to Jilin.

Transport: Road • China National Highway 202