For the Taoist sage Changchun (1148-1227), see Qiu Chuji. Changchun (Pinyin: Chángchūn) is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city. The name originated from the Jurchen language. As of 2000, Changchun has a population of 7.1 million, including counties and county-level cities. The urban districts have a total population of 3.2 million.
Changchun is a new city with only about 200 years of history. Changchun started as a minor trading town. In 1800, Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty selected a small village on the east bank of the Yitong River and named it "Changchun Ting." In 1889, it was promoted as "Changchun Fu".
It expanded rapidly as the junction between of the Japanese-owned South Manchurian Railway and the Russian-owned Chinese Eastern Railway which had different rail gauges, as well as permit licences, from 1905-1935. Changchun had railway repair shops and branch lines originating in Changchun extended into Korea and Inner Mongolia.
Changchun has been renowned as "city of movies" and "city of automobile". Changchun is the cradle of Chinese film production. The film studio in Changchun has produced over 600 films since its establishment in 1946. Some of the old films still linger on throughout the country.
Changchun in China started life as a small trading town and it was later given the name "Changchun Ting" in 1800 by Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty. Its central location meant that it enjoyed rapid expansion early in its history since it was able to serve as a junction between the South Manchurian Railway and the Chinese Eastern Railway. Unforutunately, things were not always good for the city. In 1931 Japan invaded and occupied the area. This brought about a period of oppressive and often brutal rule of the Japanese over the Chinese. After years of struggle, hardship and resistance this oppressive yoke was finally broken and the people of Changchun were able to enjoy a bright and positive future. One of the more notable recent accomplishments of the city was that it was able to host the 2007 Winter Asian Games.
Many foreign investors are interested in trade in Changchun because the city has such a well developed economy. The industrial system can be divided up into 128 different categories with over 3 000 different types of products being produced here. The main industry centers around the manufacturing of transportation facilities, such as automobiles, passenger trains and tractors. In fact, the automobile industry in Changchun is so big that it is often nicknamed the "City of Automobiles". Changchun is often seen as the cradle of the Chinese automobile industry and is very famous for its association with automobile manufacture. However, it is also involved with other industries, such as that of chemistry, medicine, textiles, electronics, optics, metallurgy, building material and foodstuffs. The GDP per captia for 2003 was US$2 580 and this has been increasing steadily ever since.
Changchun is an ideal winter tourist destination. The freezing cold weather has resulted in some of the finest ski resorts in China. The Beidahu, Jingyuetan and Songhuahu ski resorts are great places for ski lovers seeking both for fun and challenge. The rime scenery in winter in the area has been recognized as one of the four natural wonders of China.
Tourists will find that the city is quite pretty because of the massive green belt that has been threaded through the city to provide a big oxygen bar so that the people of Changchun can enjoy fresh air. The surrounding areas are also quite pretty, and the Nanhu Park and Jingyuetan National Forest Park are filled with lakes and forest that visitors can enjoy at their leisure. Other attractions are the Puppet Emperor's palace, the Changchun Film Studio and Changchun Movie City. There is really a lot more to the city than merely industry and trade so take the initiative to discover as much as possible if you are able to spend time in Changchun.
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