Suihua Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 绥化市 (suí huà shì)
Population: 5,432,673
Area: 35,000 square kilometers (13,514 square miles)
Location: in the southern-central region of Heilongjiang Province, northeastern China
Administrative Division: 1 district (Beilin); 6 counties (Wangkui, Lanxi, Qinggang, Qing'an, Mingshui, Suiling); 3 county-level cities (Anda, Zhaodong, Hailun)
Area Code: 0455
Zip Code: 152000
GDP (2018): CNY 135.96 billion (USD 20.55 billion)
Nationalities: Han, Hui, Manchu, Mongolian, Korean

Situated in the southern-central region of Heilongjiang Province, Suihua neighbors the capital city of the province, Harbin to the south, Daqing to the west, Yichun to the east and Heihe to the north. The superior geographical location makes Suihua become an important transportation hub of Heilongjiang Province. It takes only 1 hour by car from Suihua to Harbin Taiping International Airport.

Located in the hinterland of Songnen Plain, one of the three rare black soil belts in the world, Suihua is the largest green food production city in China, and also the production place of high-quality rice, corn, milk and soybean. It is also a wonderful tourism destination. There are not only magnificent grand canyons, but also grasslands, wetlands, forests and endless farmlands. Here, tourists can also experience local Manchu customs and northeast folk culture. The famous Sansheng Gong and Hailun St. Joseph' Church can be packed into a religious and cultural Suihua tour. It is better to travel to Suihua in spring and autumn when the weather is the most enjoyable.

Sansheng Gong (Three Sages Palace) is a large temple first built in the 1920s. The project lasted twenty years producing a total of ten towers, one pavilion and eighty-one halls. The temple is dedicated to the greatest sages of Confucius, Buddhism and Taoism. The terrain of the city is higher in the northeast and lower in the southwest. In accordance with the terrain, there are low mountains and hills, high plains and river plains.

Hailun St. Joseph' Church in Haibei Town of Hailun City reflects European style architecture and was built in 1909. The church can admit three thousand people. Drifting on the Nuomin River is another perfect choice while visiting there. The drifting section of the river is about eight kilometers (5 miles) long. It connects the plain reservoir in the upper reaches with the Jindouwan Forest Park in the lower reaches.

1. Suihua is a railway transport hub in central Heilongjiang. Binbei, Binjia and Binzhou railways pass through Suizhou. From the railway station found at the crossing of Taiping Lu and Beilin Lu, in the east region of the city proper, there are trains traveling daily between the city and Beijing, Tianjin, Qiqihar, Harbin, Changchu, Jiamusi, Dalian, Yantai and Dandong.

2. This city is connected to Harbin by expressway. From the bus station beside the railway station, Harbin can be reached in two hours. There are also buses to Daqing, Mudanjiang and many other cities in and out of Heilongjiang.

Enjoying a temperate continental monsoon climate, Suihua has four clear seasons. It is always covered by snow in winter whilst being rainy, warm and humid in summer. Weather in spring and autumn is most enjoyable. The annual average temperature falls round 1.3-4°C (34.3-39.2°F) and rain is more common in July and August.

 When to Go: The best time for travel in Suihua is during spring and summer.

 History: Suihua was known as Bei Tuanlinzi during the early days of its administrative history in 1885 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Before that period, it had been inhabited by nomadic tribes or under the reign of ethnic minorities for thousands of years. Northeast China was blockaded as the imperial hunting ground before 1885.

 Special Local Products: Wild herbs, edible fungus, Hailun paper cutting and Suiling clay pottery are amongst the highlights of the area.