Hunchun, Jilin, most people's impression of it remains as a China-Russia-North Korea border city in geography books. At a glance, you can see the Russian mountains and rivers, the Sea of Japan, the Tumen River and the multiple scenery of North Korea at the same time. What's even more amazing is that Hunchun also has the only Siberian tiger and Siberian leopard nature reserve in the country. Hunchun has been frequently searched recently for short videos of various rare and exotic animals captured in the reserve, such as "going out for a drive, such as visiting the safari park " and "citizens encountering Siberian tigers after get off work". According to incomplete statistics, local residents have encountered wild Siberian tigers more than 30 times in 2021.
△In Hunchun, it is not surprising to meet wild animals. /Picture insect
A lucky citizen, Ms. Zhu, first met pheasants and wild boars in the snow near Sandaogou, and also photographed the cute moment of roe deer hitting a tree. I met Siberian tiger twice on New Year's Day, and also saw a chubby tiger cub. Who wouldn’t envy such good luck to start the Year of the Tiger? The old artist who is also a shit shovel can't sit still. His wish list for this Year of the Tiger is to go to Hunchun, the "Hometown of Tigers and Leopards", to see the big cats roaming in the mountains.
△Hunchun scenery.
Hunchun has a low-key and gentle appearance. The wash of foreign culture and the gift of nature, the blond Russian beauties strolling on the passing streets, and the Three Kingdoms delicacies cooked in traditional Korean restaurants all contribute to this small northeastern town. A bit mysterious and wild.
Just like the elusive Siberian tiger, Hunchun is really a good place for "hidden dragons and crouching tigers".
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The exotic feeling of "rough" and "conservative" flavor
Hunchun City is located in the eastern part of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, where the first ray of sunshine rises in China. It is located at the junction of the three countries of China, Russia and North Korea in the lower reaches of the Tumen River. It is as close as to the two countries. "The three countries are heard when the chicken crows, and the three frontiers are frightened by the barking of dogs." transportation extends in all directions. In addition to land routes, it can reach Russia and North Korea , and sea routes can reach as far away as South Korea, Japan, and even North America and Northern Europe. When I first arrived in Hunchun, I felt like it was just a neat and warm northeastern town, but signs with and in three languages could be seen everywhere, reminding me of the inclusiveness and openness here. When you walk to the European Street, you are surrounded by Eastern European-style sculptures and buildings. When you arrive at the Korean Village, you feel like you have entered another land.
△Hunchun architecture is full of exotic style. /Tuchong Creative
Before the epidemic, the goods sold here, the delicacies and the foreign tourists walking on the streets all had an undercurrent of exotic customs that only belonged to border areas. In the past, thousands of Russians came to Hunchun every day for shopping, entertainment, and even physical therapy and traditional Chinese medicine. At the same time, busloads of domestic tourists took buses from here to go to Hunchun for a four-day trip to Vladivostok and a one-day trip to North Korea. a taxi driver can also switch between several languages. The Korean restaurant here adds a touch of gift from the Russian sea to the traditional Korean dishes. You can add king crab crab legs to the hand-ground noodles Pyongyang cold noodles , and the casings of rice sausage can be changed. Into squid improves the taste.
△Pyongyang cold noodles that are sweet and sour. /unsplash
These two completely different exotic styles are integrated into one in Fangchuan Village . Climbing up to the Dragon and Tiger Pavilion, you can see the Three Kingdoms at a glance. my country's border checkpoints, the lakes and hills in Russia, and the green-roofed buildings beside the railway in North Korea all stare at each other wordlessly. If the weather is good, you can look towards the mouth of the Tumen River and vaguely see the vast Sea of Japan, which is breathtaking. Drive to the border crossing between China and North Korea, check in at the boundary monument , and visit here. If you just want to experience the local customs of the Korean people, the traditional journey is to go to the traditional buildings of the Folk Korean Village, eat spicy cabbage, and enjoy the performances of the Dongxiong Xiao and the Elephant Hat Dance. If you are very curious, you can go to the Rason City Special Economic Zone in North Korea without a visa and take a "North Korea Day Tour" . Watch a charity performance, eat hairy crabs, sea cucumbers , feed wild fur seals on Pipa Island , and finally buy some Korean specialties and seafood.Please note that photography is only allowed within scenic spots. Violating cultural photography will result in a fine of RMB 5,000.
△In Hunchun, take a "one-day trip to North Korea".
What makes you feel like you have stepped out of the country is the Yangguanping Embankment , which is only 8 meters wide. On the left is Russia, and on the right is North Korea across the Tumen River. The road is sparsely populated, and patrols from both countries only appear occasionally. The only things that accompany passers-by are the cries of seabirds circling in the sky, and the deserted woods on both sides of the road.
When we returned to the urban restaurant and sat down, delicacies from all over the world were immediately within our reach. In the simple barbecue shop, Korean delicacies such as skewered barbecue, warm cold noodles and rice sausage cakes are already dazzling. Various seafood such as charcoal grilled eel and king crab are also beckoning. If there is no one who can accept hundreds of rivers and have the determination to gain weight, I am afraid that the experience will be endless.
△Hunchun Night Market. /Graphics
For those who are not afraid of the seafood and beer gout combo, Hunchun is a happy hometown. In the Varodya Russian souvenir shop that specializes in Russian goods, no one is patronizing the dried squid with the arms of the fighting nation, the eye-poppingly sweet chocolates, and the toy axes. The most eye-catching one is the Russian -degree beer . One bottle is a large 1.35L plastic bottle. The packaging is not important, as long as it is enough to drink. Genuine whiskey , vodka , eaux-de-vie, etc. If you get a fake one, you will get ten percent off. Russia's top commodities are fresh king crabs from the Okhotsk Sea and Bering Sea. Since 2021, the total amount of crabs entering the Hunchun Highway Port has exceeded 5,000 tons. Almost most of the crabs exported from the Far East. On the Chinese dining table. At the seafood wholesale stalls in Hunchun, plate crabs, seed crabs, and hairy crabs all follow the king crabs.
△Delicious king crab.
This is a good foil for other seafood. Scallops, maple clams, sword clams, arctic clams , geoducks, conchs, etc., each one can clearly stand out in its own right. In Hunchun, with the same wallet, you can buy more beautiful seafood. The average person is only one or two hundred yuan, and you won’t want to leave until you lick your hands. Local people in Hunchun said that to buy the best value king crab , you need to find a knowledgeable seafood store. Go behind the Guomao International Trade Center and find a seafood wholesaler. It usually costs more than 100 yuan per catty. Don't be discriminating against the cheaper plate crabs and seed crabs. You can also have them full of seeds and yellow crabs, which are salty and delicious. Moreover, the market processing fee is within a few dozen yuan, so they are cheap and good quality.
Affected by the epidemic, the bustling Russian tourists in Hunchun are no longer visible, and restaurants and bars have become quiet. However, the unique flavors of the two countries still linger in the air through the continuous flow of imported goods.
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The ever-changing border area Hunchun in history was once an economically developed border area. Its geographical location and superior natural resources have been called the "Balkans of the East" by historians. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. Central Plains culture, Manchu culture, Korean culture and foreign culture have alternated here. Judging from archaeological relics, as early as the Neolithic Age of primitive society more than 4,000 years ago, there were people of the Sushen tribe living in Hunchun. Although the level of civilization lags far behind that of the Central Plains, during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Bohai State of the Tang Dynasty established the prosperous Balian City in Hunchun to serve the "Japanese Maritime Silk Road" .
△Hunchun is strategically located. /Graphics
Today, at the ruins of Balian City, you can still feel the prosperity of Northeast Asia international commercial port at that time. Most of the unearthed cultural relics are engraved with Chinese characters, and the city is imitated in the Tang Dynasty with five capitals and fifteen mansions. Scholar Yu Qiuyu compared the Bohai Kingdom to "half the Tang Dynasty ". According to historical records, Japan sent a total of 34 envoys and more than 2,000 people to the Bohai Kingdom in the past two hundred years. Hunchun became the most important central bridge for trade and cultural exchanges between Datang and Japan. Over the past few thousand years, Sushen, Yilou, Wuji, Mohe, Jurchen and other tribes have successively established countries in Hunchun. Hunchun has experienced Tang Bohai Kingdom, Dajin , Eastern Xia and , the Qing Dynasty, , the four dynasties.
△The Friendship Bridge on the Tumen River towards the Russian border./Wiki
Among them, the word "Hunchun" is the transliteration of Manchu . In "Jin History" , it has the name "Hunchun", which means "border, border, border". It was not used until the early Qing Dynasty. Named "Hunchun". In "Childhood" by the modern writer Luo Binji, Hunchun is a cultural melting pot where the descendants of the Eight Banners of the Manchus and the Han people coexist and collide. Among the primary school students, Manchu, Han, and Korean children also gathered together in separate groups. These currents swirled and turbulent rapidly until they unanimously launched a war of resistance against Japan. The most respected celebrity among Hunchun people is the patriotic minister of the late Qing Dynasty Wu Dachang. He actively started machine production, developed import and export trade, established the first customs, and also argued with various countries for the entrance to the Sea of Japan. .
△Wu Dacheng is a famous historical figure in Hunchun. /Wiki
Hunchun in his writing, "The sunset on the half slope, the horses' hooves are light, the clouds are returning to the trees and the snow is clearing. Orions chase deer and get lost in the grass road, and shepherd boys lead their calves to lie down in pine sheds. The shore is clear, the water is wide, the knowledge is green and warm, and the wind in the wild mountain is crowded with people. "Ye Ming", can also be regarded as a prosperous and comfortable border city.
Nowadays, when tourists visit Hunchun, they can no longer reach the entrance to the Sea of Japan, which is 12 kilometers away from the Sea of Japan while standing on the Yangguanping embankment.
Even without a port, Hunchun still maintains very frequent trade with Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. Land shipping is still developed. For example, through the "borrowed port" of the Russian port of Zarubino, Hunchun can still achieve maritime connectivity with Northeast Asian countries.
△Hunchun’s land transportation is also very developed. /Wiki
During the past Double Eleven period, nearly 10,000 items of various products, including laptops , juicers, cotton candy machines, etc., were shipped to Russia by land. Last year, the China-Russia "Hunchun-Mahalinno" inbound and outbound international freight trains exceeded 11,000 trains, transporting raw materials such as coal, wood, iron fine powder, etc., and also added Russian characteristics Frozen fish, scallops, shrimp and other seafood.
03
I heard it is the best place to encounter wild Siberian tigers?
In addition to experiencing the exotic customs, delicious food and history in Hunchun, going to the forest to watch wild animals running wild is also one of the local people's entertainment. Legend has it that if you learn the Hunchun people's Northeastern dialect and see a Siberian tiger crossing the road, you will roar, "Local! Don't bite me!" and the tiger will naturally give way.
It is surrounded by mountains and faces the sea, with abundant rainfall. The forest coverage rate of Hunchun is 6.5%. Primeval forests abound, and local specialties such as ginseng, deer antlers, honey, hash ants, matsutake mushrooms, and fungus can be found in abundance. Hiking is the way to get close to nature and breathe wildly without disturbing the passing flowers, plants, and small animals as much as possible.
△The scenery is beautiful and the forest coverage rate is extremely high. /unsplash
Simply having a forest is not enough. Tumenjiang National Forest Park, Fangchuan Scenic Area, and Dahuanggou Village are not special enough. The most popular attraction in Hunchun Year of the Tiger will probably be Siberian Tiger Nature Reserve.
In the protected area, citizens driving by occasionally photographed "blockers" driving against vehicles, and every time they were photographed, they were reported. Facing the three- to four-meter-long adult Siberian tiger, many citizens expressed excitement and fear, and had no choice but to pretend not to be afraid and stare at it until it crawled back into the woods.
Due to deforestation, poaching, forest land expropriation and other reasons, my country's wild Siberian tigers and Siberian leopards are both endangered species. It is estimated that there are about 30 Siberian tigers in the wild. In the past five years, about 10 new cubs have been observed. Encountering one in the 450 square kilometers of forest is like winning the lottery.
△When I saw the Siberian tiger, I was both excited and scared.
If you like these wild big cats, becoming an animal protection volunteer is the best travel experience to get close to Siberian tigers and experience the complete ecological chain. The Hunchun Wildlife Conservation Association organized a hunting snare cleaning operation in winter, allowing everyone to put down their mobile phones and walk tens of thousands of steps a day in the snowy mountains, using their hands and feet to climb high and low, looking for the footprints of Siberian tigers everywhere.
Although the chance of seeing a Siberian tiger is slim, the traces of various wild animals along the road still make the trip worthwhile.After all, there are not the most wire snares for catching Siberian tigers. There are more snares and iron hooks for catching Siberian tiger food such as rabbits, roe deer, wild boars, etc. These poaching tools need to be untied and dismantled one by one.
Walking through the birch forest, the ranger will also introduce the animal footprints hidden along the way, such as the honeycombs dug out by bears, tree trunks knocked by woodpeckers, kitchen waste of wild boars and sika deer, and roe deer's Nest etc. After a few days, everyone has visited different animal friends.
△Wild animals are often seen in the Changbai Mountain area.
As for self-driving travelers without a ranger to lead the way, locals remind you that you may see black bears, , wild boars, snakes and other wild beasts in the reserve. Try not to enter the depths of the dense forest and bring mosquito repellent supplies. Slow down and give way to animals.
Other eco-tourism enthusiasts and migratory birds will fall in love with this maritime climate resort. Spring and autumn Beside the Jingxin Wetland and the Bizao Red Lotus Pond, , groups of photographers come here specifically to wait for wild geese, red-crowned cranes , wild ducks, seabirds, egrets and other tens of thousands of migratory birds. one period at a time. If you are tired of watching animals and want to take a forest bath way to reduce stress, go to the Valley Scenic Area in Dahuanggou Village. The cloud-blocking mixed forest is swaying in the snow. The sound of wind and snow is the most comfortable ASMR. . In addition to precious tree species such as red pine, yellow pineapple, and walnut catalpa, there is also a hidden easter egg - a yew tree that is about 1,680 years old.
△Changbai Mountain Scenic Area with beautiful environment. /unsplash
In Hunchun, birds, animals, flowers, plants and trees are all respected, and many still retain the same living rules that have not changed for hundreds of years. Some netizens even joked that as the population of Northeast China decreases, the number of Siberian tigers will naturally increase. increase.
Next time you go to Jilin, you might as well take a few days to go to the small corner of the vast territory of Hunchun, experience the original flavor of the Far East wilderness and the wild fun of returning to nature .
In this border town, even if you don't encounter the Siberian tiger's tail and footprints, the king crab legs as thick as two fingers in the bowl are still worth taking a picture of.
Reference article
1. Hunchun, Jilin, the land of tigers and leopards awaits the new year丨Jilin Daily
2. Chasing the dream of the blue ocean - the "past and present life" of Hunchun City's maritime shipping丨Jilin Daily
3. On Northeast exiled literary writers丨 Teng Zhenfu
4 . Watching the busy Sino-Russian border trade in Hunchun丨 is still a foodie’s paradise!丨Yingluo
7. Hunchun: Set sail again (Silk Road Observation), Liu Wenbo丨People's Daily
