An Introduction to Heilongjiang Province 黑 龙 江 省 简 介

Abbreviation: Hei 黑
Capital: Harbin
Area: More than 460,000 square kilometers
Population: 37.32 million
Location: In northeast China
China shares a 4,300-kilometer-long boundary with Russia, but Heilongjiang alone takes up a 3,038-kilometer-long along the borderline.

Located in the northeastern part of China, Heilongjiang Province is a place of rich resources, with an advantageous geographical position as well as a mild continental climate. The province’s cultivated land area was 9.17 million hectares in 2001, ranking first in China. Its fertile soil boasts one of the three large black earth belts in the world. Forest area is 19.2 million hectares and the forest coverage rate is 42.9 per cent, also ranking the province first in the country. After more than 50 years of construction and development, Heilongjiang has become a major production base for energy, raw materials and heavy-duty equipment, and has formed a complete system of primary industry comprised of 10 major sectors such as machinery, petrochemicals, power, coal, building materials, light industry, textile, medicine and food products. The province has a natural advantage in the development of border trade and economic, scientific and technological co-operation with Russia. Heilongjiang and Russia have established frequent trade, economic and technological exchanges. It has the finest winter wonders in China. The mountainous regions, with snowfall of 100 to 300 centimeters a year, are perfect for skiing. Ski tour has become the most important tourism program me in the province. Extensive forest coverage is another advantage for the province’s tourism development. The province has 190,000 square kilometers of forest coverage, 41.9 per cent of its total land area, making the province an ideal place for forest tours. At present, the province has established 17 national and 32 provincial forest parks. The province has the richest water resources in the horthern part of China. The Heilong, Songhua, Wusuli and Nenjiang river, and Jingbo and Xingkai lakes are major tourism attractions. The Heilong and Wusuli River and the Xingkai Lake are on the China-Russia border. Tourists who visit the area get a great chance to compare the cultures on either side of the border. Actually, the influence of Russian culture can also be seen in the architecture of Harbin, the provincial capital, and in many other boundary cities. The province s also famous for its rich and colourful ethnic cultures. It is the birthplace of the Jin and Manchu ethnic cultures. The sites of the Bohai Kingdom in the Tang Dynasty(618-907), Shangjin—capital of the Ji Dynasty (1115-1234), and the Longquan Prefecture City are well persevered. The virgin forests, lakes, rivers, and the well-preserved wetlands make the province a paradise for diverse wild animals and plants. Those who love nature may take a trip to the Manchurin Tiger Garden in Harbin, and the red-crowned crane reserves in the wetlands and the forests. In the last couple of years, the province has established many tourist resorts including Yabuli, Erlong Mountain and Jingbo Lake and developed more than 50 tourism routes.

Located between 43rd and 53rd parallels of north latitude, Heilongjiang Province is covered with snow and ice for more than four months of a year, making it an ideal place for tourism.

The province has established economic ties with more than 150countries and regions.

Heilongjiang Province has the largest area of wetlands in China. With a total area of 210,000 hectares (518,910 acres), the Zhalong Nature Reserve in Qiqihar is the largest wetland in China. The reserve is home to 296 species of birds, among which the most famous is the red-crowned crane.

The Heilong River, the world’s longest boundary river, is unpolluted and beautiful. It runs for 1,890 kilometers between Heilongjiang Province and Russia. A silent witness to the history of Sino-Russian relations over the 400 years, the river is a big tourist attraction. Lying between China and Russia, the Xingkai Lake in the eastern part of Heilongjiang is the largest boundary lake in Asia. Known as “the green diamond of North China,” it is an ideal vacation resort with a serene environment, clean water and soft sandy beaches.

Volcanoes have been a major force shaping the province’s topography and have created many natural wonders. Named “the volcano museum” Wudalianchi (which means five connected lakes in Chinese) is a renowned scenic spot formed by volcanic eruptions occurring over a period from some 600,000 to 200 years ago.

The Crater National Forest Park is located in Ning’an County. Bordering on the Jingbo Lake Scenic Resort to the east, the park encompasses 66,924 hectares (165.392 acres). A natural scenic resort formed by volcanic eruptions, the park includes the forest around the crater, Lion Cliff, Qitian Pavilion, Yuanyang Lake, Xiaobei Lake and many deep caves.

Occupying an area of 19,468 hectares (48,105 acres), the Mudan Peak National Forest Park is 15 kilometers from the city of Mudanjiang. Similar in shape to Japan’s Mount Fuji, Mudan Peak is the highest peak in the northwestern part of the Laoye Mountain Range. The park has such scenic spots as Mudan Pagoda, an ancient mountain fortress, the Immortals Cave, the Xuanwu River and Siping Mountain,

The 6,200-hectare (15,320 acres) Daliangzihe National Forest Park is situated in Tangyuan County. Part of the Xiaoxing’an Mountain Range, the park is famous for its Korean pine forest. The towering pines and meandering streams make it an ideal place for ecological tours.

Located in Hutou Town, Hulin City, Wusuli River National Forest Park covers an area of 25,069 hecftares (61,945.5 acres). Hutou is said to be where the last war of the Second World War took place. An underground stronghold built by the Japanese army was discovered in the town. The Jiejin National Forest Park lies in Tongjiang County. It is the hometown of the Hezhe ethnic Group.

The Jinquan National Forest Park is located in Acheng City, the birthplace of the Jin Culture. The park featured high mountains, dense forests, clean waters and mysterious caves.

The Yima Mountain National Forest Park is situated in Bayan County. The park is the site of a post house built in the Ming Dynasty. Today it is home to the Lingyin Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Northeast China.

The Changshou National Forest Park is 50 kilometers from Harbin. It is noted for its virgin forests, sweet springs and precipitous cliffs.

The oil city of Daqing is a modern tourist city that offers educational tours to those who are curious about the amazing process of petroleum production.

Germ War Site Opened to the Public 日本细菌战遗址对外开放

The world’s largest germ warfare experimental base, which was built by Japanese troops in China during World War II, opened to the public in June 2001 after a year of clean up and development. The cleaning of the site of Unit 731 of Japan’s Kwantung Army in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province got started in August 2000 and more than 100 households and about 10 factories were moved away from the site. The project cost nearly 100 million yuan (US$12 million). Some Japanese non-governmental organizations and civilians have made donations in support of the project. Chinese researchers found more than 1,200 items, which are strong evidence of Japanese war crimes, including syringes, high-pressure boilers used to destroy germs, and the remains of germ bombs. Unit 731 was part of Japan’ Kwantung Army with its headquarters in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, in 1932. It is notorious for its manufacturing of materials for germ warfare. The Kwantung Army headquarters burned and buried its records of Unit 731 in an attempt to get rid of the evidence just before Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945. But according to historical records that survive, Unit 731 experimented on more than 10,000 prisoners of war and civilians from China, the Korean Peninsula, and other countries. Chinese researchers are trying to have this historical reminder put on the World Heritage List.

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