Songyuan Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 松原 (sōng yuán)
Population: 2,750,000
Area: 22,000 square kilometers (8,494 square miles)
Location: in the west-central Jilin Province, northeast China
Administrative Division: 1 district (Ningjiang); 2 counties (Changling, Qian'an); 1 autonomous county (Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County); 1 county-level city (Fuyu)
Area Code: 0438
Zip Code: 138000
GDP (2018): CNY 137.36 billion (USD 20.76 billion)
Nationalities: Han, Man, Mongolian, Hui

Songyuan is situated in the west-central area of Jilin Province, and neighbors Changchun to the southeast. It borders Inner Mongolia to the west and is separated in the north from Heilongjiang by the Songhua, Nenjiang and Lalin rivers. Many historical sites including mammoth fossils and Qingshantou site records the long history of Songyuan date back to Neolithic Age. This city is a national large-scale commodity grain base and oil base, with an annual grain output of 75 billion kilograms. The main crops are corn, soybean, rice and sorghum, etc. Animal husbandry and fishery are also very prosperous.

Every winter in Chagan Lake, thousands of people fish together and can drag hundreds of thousands of kilograms of fish at a time. It is hard not to be shocked by such a spectacular scene. Also, Songyuan shows beautiful water landscapes and owns green, vast Horqin Grassland. Many nature reserves and geoparks provide good places for local people and tourists to refresh themselves and enjoy nature. Visitors can also enjoy Uliger, local storytelling and horse head string instrument.

Chagan Lake is the largest inland lake in Jilin Province and the seventh largest freshwater lake in China. The only Tibetan Buddhist temple, Miaoyin Temple is located on the banks of this jewel-like body of water some 22 kilometers southwest of Songyuan city proper. Another favored scenic spot is Long Keng (Dragon Pit). It was previously called Beilibu Spring and was formed by water accumulating in the natural ravine. The scenery here is particularly delightful in the spring and summer.

Songyuan Chaganhu Airport, 29km to downtown, has opened flights to/from about 15 domestic cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Hangzhou... Airport shuttle bus and taxi can get to downtown Songyuan. Songyuan Port has eight docks accommodating freighters running along the river from Jilin to Harbin as well as the Port of Khabarovsk in Russia. The city is gradually becoming a traffic hub and logistics center connecting northeast China and Inner Mongolia.

The Passenger Traffic Central Station of Songyuan is located at 1, Wulan Jie. It is near the city's Railway Station to the west and is the largest bus station in the city. There are buses available to many nearby cities and scenic spots. From downtown Songyuan, travelers can get to Changchun or Harbin within two hours.

The city has four clearly defined seasons—a dry spring; a torrid summer; a cool autumn and a long a chilly winter. Songyuan weather usually rains during July and August. Its average annual temperature is around 4.5 (40.1). The period October through April is the best time to visit. 

 History: As early as seven thousand years ago, humans first settled in this area. It was governed by the ancient Fuyu Kingdom in the Han Dynasty (206BC – 220 AD) and by the Bohai Kingdom in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). Later, the Jurchen established the Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234) here. Songyuan represents a mix of both the Manchu and Mongolian cultures.

 Physical Features: The topography of this area is mainly alluvial plains and mesas. Its terrain is flat and broad and the land slopes gently. The altitude of the city varies between 130 to 226 meters.

 Special Local Products: Songyuan is an important commercial food and oil production center. Nearby Chagan Lake is abundant with a wide variety of fish including the bighead variegated carp.