Jiamusi (佳木斯)

1. Introduction

Jiamusi, abbreviated as Jia, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Heilongjiang Province, People's Republic of China, and was also the capital of Hejiang Province in the Republic of China. Located in the northeastern part of Heilongjiang Province, it is the easternmost prefecture-level administrative region in China. The city borders Shuangyashan and Qitaihe to the south, Harbin and Yichun to the west, Hegang across the Songhua River to the northwest, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (Birobidzhan) of Russia across the Heilongjiang River to the northeast, and Khabarovsk Krai (Khabarovsk) of Russia across the Ussuri River to the east. Situated in the heart of the Sanjiang Plain, the terrain is low and flat with many marshes, and the Songhua River flows through the urban area. The People's Government of Jiamusi City is located in Qianjin District.

Jiamusi City is the political, economic, technological, educational, cultural, and healthcare center of the northeastern region of Heilongjiang Province. In 2006, Jiamusi was awarded the title of "Annual China's Best Ecological Environment Charming City" by China Central Television. It is the place in China where the sun rises earliest, known as the "First City in the East."

2. Origin of the Name

There is no exact record of when the name Jiamusi originated.

On the Kangxi Atlas from the 59th year of the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi reign (1720), the area corresponding to present-day Jiamusi was marked and written as "Jiamukesiga Shan." In the Map of Marked Battle Achievements in Shengjing, Jilin, and Heilongjiang published in the 43rd year of the Qianlong reign (1778), it was referred to in both Manchu and Chinese characters as "Jiamusi Tun." According to Manchu interpretation, "Jiamusi" means a station official, and "Ga Shan" means a village, so Jiamusi translates to "Station Official Village" or "Post Official Hamlet."

Additionally, some suggest that "Jiamusi" is derived from the Hezhen language, meaning "bone" or "corpse"; others interpret it as "a place where shamans (or sorcerers) pray."

3. History

According to historical records, Jiamusi was an ancient post road from the Songhua River to the mouth of the Heilongjiang River, where the ancestors of the Manchu people, the Sushen, lived, later known as the Yilou people.

During the Zhou Dynasty, it belonged to the Sushen territory. In the Han Dynasty and Jin Dynasty, it was part of Yilou. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was under the Wuji. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it was part of the Mohe. In the Liao Dynasty, it belonged to the five major tribes of the Jurchen, known as the Wuguobu. During the Jin Dynasty, the Huligai Route was established, with its seat in present-day Yilan County. In the mid-Yuan Dynasty, the Shui Dada Route was separated from the Kaiyuan Route. In the seventh year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1409), the Nurgan Regional Military Commission was established.

In the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1729), the Sanxing Deputy Commander was established, with its seat in present-day Yilan County, under the jurisdiction of the Jilin General. In the fourteenth year of the Guangxu reign (1888), Dongxing Town was established in the present urban area. In the thirty-second year of the Guangxu reign (1906), Yilan Prefecture was established, and the present city area belonged to it. In the second year of the Xuantong reign (1910), Huachuan County was established, with its seat in Dongxing Town.

In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), Huachuan County was moved to Yuelai Town. In 1930, Dongxing Town and Jiamusi Village merged to form Jiamusi Town, under Huachuan County. During the Manchukuo period, Sanjiang Province was established in 1934, with the provincial government located in Jiamusi, and Huachuan County moved its seat to Jiamusi Town. In 1937, Jiamusi City was officially established, belonging to Sanjiang Province. Jiamusi became the seat of provincial and municipal offices and one of the ten major new cities in Northeast China.

In August 1945, Operation August Storm began. On August 17, troops of the 15th Army of the Soviet Union's Far East 2nd Front occupied Jiamusi City. In late October 1945, the Chinese Communist Party established the Sanjiang Regional Administrative Office in Jiamusi City. In November, the Sanjiang Region was abolished, and Hejiang Province was newly established. During the Second Chinese Civil War, it became a rear base for the Chinese Communist Party against the Nationalist government, known as "the Little Yan'an of Northeast China."

From 1947, Jiamusi City legally became the capital of Hejiang Province established by the Nationalist government. In 1947, the Nationalist government announced the "New Provincial Plan for Northeast China," establishing Hejiang Province with its capital in Jiamusi City. In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party abolished Hejiang Province and merged it into Songjiang Province. In August 1954, Songjiang Province was merged into Heilongjiang Province, and Jiamusi became a provincial-administered city.

On December 15, 1984, the State Council of China approved State Document No. 178, abolishing the Hejiang Region and transferring its 13 counties—Huanan, Jixian, Baoqing, Fujin, Yilan, Tangyuan, Huachuan, Luobei, Suibin, Raohe, Tongjiang, Fuyuan, and Youyi—to Jiamusi City, merging the region and city.

In 1987, Tongjiang County was abolished and established as Tongjiang City; Jixian County was transferred to Shuangyashan City; Luobei and Suibin counties were transferred to Hegang City. In 1988, Fujin County was abolished and established as Fujin City. In 1991, Baoqing and Youyi counties were transferred to Shuangyashan City; Yilan County was transferred to Harbin City. In 1993, Raohe County was transferred to Shuangyashan City. In July 2006, Yonghong District was abolished and merged into the suburban area of Jiamusi City. In January 2016, Fuyuan County was abolished and established as Fuyuan City.

4. Geography

Jiamusi City borders Shuangyashan City to the east, Mudanjiang, Qitaihe, and Jixi cities to the south, Harbin and Yichun cities to the west, and Hegang City to the north.

Jiamusi has a mid-temperate continental monsoon climate, characterized by long, severe, and dry winters; windy and drought-prone springs; warm, rainy summers; and cool autumns. The average temperature in January is -18.5°C, and in July it is 22.5°C. The annual average temperature is 3.62°C, with precipitation generally exceeding 500 mm. The soil begins to thaw at the end of March, and the ground starts to freeze in mid-November. The frost-free period lasts 130 days.

Jiamusi City Meteorological Data (1971–2000)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Record High (°C / °F) | 1.8 (35.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 20.2 (68.4) | 29.2 (84.6) | 33.5 (92.3) | 35.4 (95.7) | 38.8 (101.8) | 35.8 (96.4) | 30.8 (87.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 15.1 (59.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | 38.8 (101.8) | | Average High (°C / °F) | -12.7 (9.1) | -7.3 (18.9) | 1.5 (34.7) | 12.7 (54.9) | 20.4 (68.7) | 25.0 (77.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 25.8 (78.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | -0.8 (30.6) | -10.5 (13.1) | 9.4 (49.0) | | Daily Mean (°C / °F) | -18.5 (-1.3) | -13.9 (7.0) | -4.3 (24.3) | 6.2 (43.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.5 (72.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 14.0 (57.2) | 5.3 (41.5) | -6.0 (21.2) | -15.6 (3.9) | 3.6 (38.5) | | Average Low (°C / °F) | -24.0 (-11.2) | -20.2 (-4.4) | -10.7 (12.7) | -0.2 (31.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 13.9 (57.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 15.8 (60.4) | 8.3 (46.9) | -0.2 (31.6) | -10.8 (12.6) | -20.4 (-4.7) | -2.0 (28.5) | | Record Low (°C / °F) | -39.5 (-39.1) | -35.2 (-31.4) | -35.2 (-31.4) | -11.9 (10.6) | -6.0 (21.2) | 3.8 (38.8) | 8.7 (47.7) | 5.4 (41.7) | -3.2 (26.2) | -17.0 (1.4) | -28.4 (-19.1) | -34.5 (-30.1) | -39.5 (-39.1) | | Average Precipitation (mm / inches) | 3.7 (0.15) | 5.0 (0.20) | 9.4 (0.37) | 21.1 (0.83) | 46.3 (1.82) | 91.4 (3.60) | 104.0 (4.09) | 122.2 (4.81) | 61.4 (2.42) | 33.6 (1.32) | 10.0 (0.39) | 8.4 (0.33) | 516.5 (20.33) | | Average Precipitation Days (≥0.1mm) | 5.8 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 7.7 | 11.3 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 13.8 | 11.1 | 8.7 | 5.8 | 7.2 | 108.3 |

5. Administrative Divisions

Jiamusi City currently administers 4 municipal districts, 3 counties, and oversees 3 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Xiangyang District, Qianjin District, Dongfeng District, Jiao District
• County-level Cities: Tongjiang City, Fujin City, Fuyuan City
• Counties: Huanan County, Huachuan County, Tangyuan County

Furthermore, following the demarcation of the eastern section of the Sino-Russian border, the Fuyuan Delta Development and Construction Management Committee was established in October 2008. As a dispatched agency of the Jiamusi Municipal Government, it exercises administrative and civil jurisdiction over the 171 square kilometers of territory on Heixiazi Island (Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island) and implements unified management over the development and construction of the Fuyuan Delta.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including: Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 230800 | Jiamusi City | Jiāmùsī Shì | 32,463.81 | 2,156,505 | Qianjin District | 154000 | 20 | 46 | 29 | 4 | | 230803 | Xiangyang District | Xiàngyáng Qū | 41.45 | 295,017 | Qiaonan Subdistrict | 154000 | 5 | | | | | 230804 | Qianjin District | Qiánjìn Qū | 16.00 | 180,893 | Yong'an Subdistrict | 154000 | 4 | | | | | 230805 | Dongfeng District | Dōngfēng Qū | 142.60 | 121,305 | Jianguo Subdistrict | 154000 | 5 | 1 | 1 | | | 230811 | Jiao District | Jiāo Qū | 1,703.57 | 265,340 | Youyi Subdistrict | 154000 | 4 | 7 | 4 | | | 230822 | Huanan County | Huànán Xiàn | 4,417.98 | 286,855 | Huanan Town | 154400 | | 7 | 5 | | | 230826 | Huachuan County | Huàchuān Xiàn | 2,228.11 | 145,876 | Yuelai Town | 154300 | | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 230828 | Tangyuan County | Tāngyuán Xiàn | 3,419.92 | 173,688 | Tangyuan Town | 154700 | | 4 | 6 | 1 | | 230881 | Tongjiang City | Tóngjiāng Shì | 6,229.04 | 176,112 | Tongjiang Town | 156400 | | 6 | 4 | 2 | | 230882 | Fujin City | Fùjǐn Shì | 8,224.22 | 414,090 | Chengxi Subdistrict | 156100 | 2 | 11 | | | | 230883 | Fuyuan City | Fǔyuǎn Shì | 6,040.91 | 97,329 | Fuyuan Town | 156500 | | 5 | 5 | |

nix

6. Transportation

Jiamusi City boasts convenient transportation with a well-developed network of railways, highways, waterways, and aviation, serving as a transportation hub in the eastern region of Heilongjiang Province.

6.1 Railway

The city is traversed by five major railway lines—the Tujia Railway, Jiafu Railway, Qianfu Railway, Haji Railway, and Suijia Railway—connecting to various parts of the country.

6.2 Highway

6.2.1 National Highways

National Highways 102, 201, and 221 pass through the area.

6.2.2 Expressways

The G11 Hegang-Dalian Expressway, G1011 Harbin-Tongjiang Expressway, and G1012 Jiansanjiang-Heixiazi Island Expressway intersect within the city, forming a robust expressway network.

6.3 Waterway

The "River-Sea Intermodal Transport" follows the Songhua River and Heilongjiang River downstream through the Tatar Strait, providing access to Russia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and other countries and regions along the Pacific coast.

6.4 Civil Aviation

Jiamusi Dongjiao Airport

6.4.1 Domestic Routes

Airlines and Destinations

• Air China Beijing-Capital
• Shandong Airlines Qingdao, Jinan, Shenyang, Nanjing, Yantai
• Hainan Airlines Beijing-Capital
• China Southern Airlines Dalian, Guangzhou
• China Eastern Airlines Jinan, Shanghai-Pudong, Yantai, Hangzhou

6.4.2 International Routes

Airlines and Destinations

• Jeju Air Seoul-Incheon

7. Education

Regular Undergraduate Institutions:

• Jiamusi University
• Jiamusi College of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine

Higher Vocational Colleges (1,105 nationwide):

• Jiamusi Vocational College
• Heilongjiang Agricultural Vocational and Technical College
• Heilongjiang Sanjiang Art Vocational College: (Has branch campuses in Beijing and Harbin)

Regular High Schools:

• Jiamusi No. 1 High School (Provincial Key High School)

Jiamusi No. 1 High School is the highest-quality high school in Jiamusi City, having produced six provincial top scorers from 2004 to 2009.

• Jiamusi No. 2 High School (Provincial Key High School)
• Jiamusi No. 11 High School (Municipal Key High School)
• Jiamusi Agricultural Reclamation Bureau High School (now known as Jiamusi Experimental High School)
• Jiamusi No. 8 High School
• Jiamusi No. 7 High School
• Jiamusi University Affiliated High School
• Jiamusi Songbei High School

8. Population

In 2022, the total registered population of Jiamusi City was 2.256 million, a decrease of 23,000 from the end of the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,156,505. Compared with the 2,552,097 people from the Sixth National Population Census, there was a total decrease of 395,592 people over the ten years, a decline of 15.5%, with an average annual growth rate of -1.67%. Among them, the male population was 1,079,952, accounting for 50.08% of the total population; the female population was 1,076,553, accounting for 49.92% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 100.32. The population aged 0–14 was 228,293, accounting for 10.59% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 1,426,896, accounting for 66.17% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 501,316, accounting for 23.25% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 336,148, accounting for 15.59% of the total population. The urban population was 1,405,396, accounting for 65.17% of the total population; the rural population was 751,109, accounting for 34.83% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 2,098,374, accounting for 97.3%; the total population of various ethnic minorities was 58,131, accounting for 2.7%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population decreased by 386,492, a decline of 15.55%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.06 percentage points; the total population of ethnic minorities decreased by 9,100, a decline of 13.54%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.06 percentage points. Among them, the Manchu population decreased by 4,542, a decline of 13.97%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.02 percentage points; the Korean ethnic group population decreased by 6,093, a decline of 24.5%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.1 percentage points; the Hui population decreased by 394, a decline of 9.51%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.01 percentage points; the Mongolian population increased by 606, a growth of 24.93%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.05 percentage points; the Hezhen population increased by 321, a growth of 13.97%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.03 percentage points.

nix

nix

9. Sister Cities

• Kōshū City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan (October 10, 1984)
• Shoalhaven City, New South Wales, Australia (April 2, 1987)
• Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia (June 11, 1994)
• Avellino Province, Campania Region, Italy (June 27, 2011)
• Donghae City, Gangwon Province, South Korea (October 6, 2011)

nix

nix

nix

Manchu means "post station official" or "place where shamans pray."

Forward District

Fujin City

The Han ethnic group accounts for 97.3% of the population; ethnic minorities make up 2.7%.

Apricot tree

Apricot blossom