Jilin City Travel Guide

Jilin City is the second-largest city in Jilin Province and the only city in China that shares its name with its province. In Manchu, it is called “Jilin Wula,” meaning “a city along the river.” Due to Emperor Kangxi’s poem Songhua River Boat Song, which describes the city’s riverfront scenery, Jilin City is also known as “River City” (Jiangcheng).

Renowned as a winter wonderland and a skiing paradise, Jilin City is home to numerous ski resorts scattered across the region. It is also rich in ethnic diversity, being one of the birthplaces of the Manchu people. The Manchu community in Wulajie and the Korean ethnic villages of Aladi and Xingguang retain deep cultural traditions.

Often called “the Shangri-La of winter,” Jilin City is famous for its rime ice – a breathtaking natural phenomenon that transforms trees into sparkling crystal sculptures. Viewing the rime ice has become a signature tourist attraction, best experienced between late December and early February.