10 Days in Jilin — Rime & the Songhua

Beishan's temple courts draw their big fairs on the 18th and 28th days of the fourth lunar month; the Confucian temple, founded in 1736, sits near the river, and the embankment walk runs below.

1. jilin beishan park
2. jilin confucius temple
3. jilin songhua riverfront

The 35 km ride north ends in the farmhouses across the river from the island — 2 dawn chances double the odds, since rime needs still, frosty air.

1. jilin wusong island

A second island dawn if the first was windless in the wrong way, then back to town for Longtan's 388-metre hill-fort, its Goguryeo-era walls and the rock-cut rain pool.

1. jilin longtan mountain

The southernmost of the city's 4 guardian hills — Zhuque, with Xuanwu, Qinglong and Baihu ringing the old town — at an easy pace — forest paths, a temple pavilion or two, and the city grid laid out below.

1. jilin zhuque mountain

The lake begins about 20 km southeast at the dam begun in 1937 — boat piers in summer, a lakeshore drive, and the outflow that feeds the rime downstream.

1. jilin songhua lake
2. jilin fengman dam

A slow embankment day between the longer trips — riverside tea, old-timers fishing through holes in the ice, an early night.

1. jilin songhua riverfront

An honest neighbour-city label — Harbin lies about 2 hours north by rail. Ride up for the evening lights of the ice-park sculptures and overnight there.

1. harbin ice snow world

A cobblestone morning on the old pedestrian street with its Russian-era facades, then the train back to Jilin by afternoon.

1. harbin central street

The second honest neighbour day — Changchun, about 40 minutes west, and the flat forest-lake loop of Jingyuetan.

1. changchun jingyuetan

A steaming market breakfast and a last riverside walk, then the train from Jilin station.

1. jilin morning markets