Yichun Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 伊春市 (yī chūn shì)
Population: 1,140,938
Area: 32,800 square kilometers (12,664 square miles)
Location: in the northeast region of Heilongjiang Province, northeastern China
Administrative Division: 4 districts (Yimei, Wucui, Youhao, Jinlin); 5 counties (Tangwang, Fenglin, Nancha, Daqingshan, Jiayin); 1 county-level city (Tieli)
Area Code: 0458
Zip Code: 153000
GDP (2018): CNY 27.42 billion (USD 4.14 billion)

Situated in the northeastern area of Heilongjiang Province, Yichun is bordered with Hegang to the east, Harbin to the south and Suihua to the west. In the north, it is separated from Russia by the Heilongjiang River and sharing a boundary of 246 kilometers (153 miles) with the country.

When you visit Yichun, you will be surprised by the great areas of forests and mountains as the forest coverage rate of Xiaoxing'anling in Yichun is as high as 84.7%. And due to the forests and pleasant climate of Xiaoxing'anling Mountain, Yichun has become a unique natural summer resort.  Even in summer, the average temperature of Yichun is only 20℃ (68 ℉). But the temperature difference between day and night is large. Visitors can enjoy the most beautiful scenery of Yichun in autumn when the forests along the highways are dyed with different colors. In winter, the Xiaoxing'anling Mountains will be covered by heavy and extremely white snow, forming a unique forest rime spectacle.

Enjoying a cold temperate monsoon climate, Yichun is one of the cities with the lowest average temperature in China. The temperature varies greatly in different seasons and during a day. The city has four clear seasons. January is the coldest period of a year with an average temperature of minus 23 to 25 degrees (-9.4 to -13 degrees Fahrenheit), while July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 25 to 27 degrees (77-80.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

 When to Go: The scenery there is distinctive in different seasons. Summer is best for drifting in forested areas and autumn is a colorful season to view the stunning forests and mountains. The snow-covered forests shall be the most beautiful scene in winter.

 History: Yichun is Manchu for place teeming with animal pelt. Before the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it was inhabited by ethnic minorities in the northern border area of China. Since then, the city was brought into the sphere of authority in the following dynasties.

 Physical Features: The city is located in the hinterland of Xiaoxing'anling mountain area boasting luxuriant forests. Mountainous region occupies more than eighty percent of its total territory, and there are hundreds of rivers of all sizes crisscrossing all over the city.

 Special Local Products: Ginseng, deer antler, bass honey, pine nut, black fungi, Chinese gooseberry, Chinese walnut, hazel, wild grape.

Local Highlights:
Festivals: Forest Eco-Tourism Festival (July); Winter Photography Festival (January)
Ethnic Minorities: To learn more about the folklore of the ethnic minorities in that city, visitors can get to Wulaga Town in southeastern Jiayin County, a compact community of Oroqen ethnic minority which is one of the smallest minorities of China, and Nianfeng Township which is a major settlement for the Chaoxian (Korean) ethnic minority.