14 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

A jet-lag breaker — market breakfast, tea by the embankment, and a look at the winter swimmers who cut holes in the river ice most mornings.

1. jilin morning markets

The 35 km ride north ends in the farmhouses across the river from the island — the kang-heated rooms and a frozen-channel dusk set up the dawn.

1. jilin wusong island

First island dawn — mist off the dam outflow ices the trees on still mornings below about -15°C — then Longtan's 388-metre hill-fort on the way back to town.

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 — the outflow that feeds the rime downstream, and a lakeshore drive even in the cold.

1. jilin songhua lake
2. jilin fengman dam

A second, unhurried lakeside morning — tea-house lunch, short shore walks — before the northern leg.

1. jilin songhua lake

Rime takes luck — a second dawn window in the same stay is normal practice, and the drive north is 35 km each way from downtown.

1. jilin wusong island

Embankment loops, dumplings at the market, laundry and packing for the Harbin overnight.

1. jilin songhua riverfront

An honest neighbour-city label — Harbin lies about two hours north by rail. Evening lights through the ice-park sculptures, 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, the provincial capital, about 40 minutes west by intercity rail, and the flat forest-lake loop of Jingyuetan.

1. changchun jingyuetan

A farewell loop of Beishan's temple courts at an unhurried hour, a last market breakfast, luggage packed for the morning train.

1. jilin beishan park
2. jilin morning markets

A final riverside walk, then the train from Jilin station — Changchun connections about 40 minutes, Harbin about two hours.

1. jilin songhua riverfront