Jilin (吉林)

1. Introduction

Jilin City, known in the Manchu language as Girin Ula (Manchu: ᡤᡳᡵᡳᠨ ᡠᠯᠠ, Möllendorff transliteration: girin ula, meaning "along the river"), also nicknamed the "Riverside City of the North," is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. It is a larger city approved by the State Council, the second-largest city in Jilin Province, and the former provincial capital. Located in the central-eastern part of Jilin Province, it borders Changchun City to the west, Siping City and Liaoyuan City to the southwest, Tonghua City and Baishan City to the south, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture to the east, and Harbin City of Heilongjiang Province to the north. Situated in the central-eastern part of the Northeast China Plain, the Jilin Hada Ridge and Laoye Ridge run through its territory. The Songhua River flows from south to north, converging with tributaries such as the Huifa River, Jiaohe River, and Aolong River within the city. The municipal government is located at No. 65 Songjiang Middle Road, Chuanying District.

Jilin City officially traces its urban history back to approximately 2,200 years ago, beginning with the establishment of the Northern Buyeo Kingdom in the 2nd century BC and the construction of its capital "Hui City" at the eastern foot of the Tuan Mountain in what is now the urban area of Jilin City. Human activity in the area dates even further back to the Stone Age. In 1882, the Qing government established Jilin Prefecture in the region, and in 1936, the Manchukuo government established Jilin City.

Jilin City is the only city in China that shares its name with its province and is the easternmost major city in China with an urban population exceeding one million. Additionally, Jilin City is recognized as a China Excellent Tourism City, a National Historical and Cultural City, a National Garden City, and a National Civilized City. It also served as a co-host city for the 2007 Asian Winter Games.

2. Origin of the Name

Jilin City was originally named "Jilin Ula," a Manchu place name meaning "along the river." In Manchu, "girin" means "along," and "ula" means "river," such as the Songhua River, which is "sunggari ula" in Manchu.

The city name and alternative names of Jilin City are essentially different abbreviations of the same name, derived from transliteration and translation. In the 21st year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1682), Emperor Kangxi toured east to Jilin and composed the poem "Songhua River Boat Song," which included the line "ships and fleets gather in the river city." Hence, Jilin City is also known as the "River City," which is actually an abbreviation of "a city along the river" (today, to distinguish it from Wuhan's "River City," Jilin City is often referred to as the "Northern River City"). In the 24th year of the Kangxi reign (1685), Emperor Kangxi ordered it to be "commonly called Jilin," which is an abbreviation of "Jilin Ula." However, both "Jilin" and "Jilin Ula" were used interchangeably until the establishment of the Jilin Office in the 12th year of the Qianlong reign (1747), when the name was officially standardized.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, shipyards were established in the Jilin City area to build ships for defending against foreign invasions, which is why Jilin City is also known as the "Shipyard."

3. History

3.1 Prehistoric Era

Archaeological evidence indicates that Jilin is one of the important areas in Northeast China where humans settled and developed relatively early. As far back as the Stone Age, there were already human inhabitants here.

3.2 From the Yin-Zhou Period to the Eastern Jin Dynasty

During the Yin and Zhou dynasties, clan tribes existed here, namely the "Sushen people," ancestors of the Manchu ethnic group. In the Western Han Dynasty period, this area was the early capital of the Buyeo Kingdom, known as the Early Buyeo Royal City, and was the most advanced city in Northeast China at that time. At the Dongtuanshan site, the earliest city walls in Jilin Province were discovered, corresponding to the "Hui City" recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms: Wei Zhi: Account of the Eastern Barbarians.

In the third year of the Yuanfeng era of the Western Han Dynasty (108 BC), Emperor Wu of Han established the Buyeo Kingdom before setting up four commanderies in the Northeast region. This kingdom was initially under the jurisdiction of the Xuantu Commandery and later belonged to the Liaodong Commandery. Research suggests its early royal city was located at "Hui City," which is the present-day "Nanchengzi" at the foot of Dongtuan Mountain in Jilin City. It wasn't until the second year of the Yonghe era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (346 AD), after the city was captured by forces sent by the Xianbei leader Murong Huang, that the Buyeo royal family "moved west, closer to Yan." For these 454 years, Jilin served as the capital of the Buyeo Kingdom.

In the sixth year of the Yixi era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (410 AD), the 19th king of the Goguryeo Kingdom, Gwanggaeto the Great (King Gwanggaeto or King Jangsu), expanded his influence to the area of present-day Jilin. To resist the southward advance of the Mohe Kingdom, he constructed military fortresses of varying scales at Longtan Mountain, Dongtuan Mountain, and Sandao Ridge in present-day Jilin City.

3.3 From the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Early Liao Dynasty

After the fall of Goguryeo in 668 AD, Dae Jo-yeong, leader of the Sumo Mohe tribe (one of the seven tribes of the Mohe Kingdom), established the Balhae Kingdom (initially called Zhen Kingdom) in Dunhua and Ning'an in 698 AD (the first year of the Shengli era under Empress Wu Zetian of Tang). It lasted 229 years until its destruction by the Khitan Liao Dynasty in 926 AD during the reign of Dae In-seon. Present-day Jilin City was under the jurisdiction of Suzhou, one of the three "Duzhou" (directly administered prefectures) of the Balhae Kingdom. The administrative seat of this prefecture continued to use the "Nanchengzi" site at the foot of Dongtuan Mountain in present-day Jilin City.

3.4 Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties Period

In 916 AD, Yelü Abaoji established the Khitan Liao Dynasty. After destroying Balhae in 926 AD, he unified Northeast China, and in 947 AD, the state was renamed Liao. The area of present-day Jilin City was under the jurisdiction of Liao's Dongjing Circuit. In 1115 AD, the Jurchens, descendants of the Mohe people, established the Jin Dynasty. After Jin conquered Liao in 1125 AD, Jilin initially belonged to Jin's Xianping Route and was later transferred to the Huining Prefecture of the Shangjing Route. To this day, over 30 ancient fortresses of varying scales, built during the Liao Dynasty and continued in use through the Jin Dynasty, remain in the Jilin City area. Examples within present-day Jilin City proper include the Jiangbei Tuchengzi and Jiangnan Guandi ancient cities from the Liao-Jin period.

3.5 Ming Dynasty

From the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Jilin City was under the control of the Hada Jurchen Ula tribe, becoming the "Ula Kingdom." In April 1409 (the seventh year of the Yongle era), the Ming government established a shipbuilding base in Jilin. Jilin played a role in strengthening the connection between the Liaodong Regional Military Commission and the Nurgan Regional Military Commission. It was responsible for building ships to transport troops, provisions, rewards, and tributes, and also served as a transfer station for moving troops and supplies. In 1613 (the 41st year of the Wanli era), the Ula Kingdom was conquered by Nurhaci, and the Jilin City area then became territory of the Jianzhou Jurchens.

3.6 Qing Dynasty

In 1616, Nurhaci formally established the Later Jin Dynasty, and Jilin came under its jurisdiction. Later, in 1636, Hong Taiji changed the name from Jin to Qing, establishing the Qing Dynasty. In 1644, Qing forces entered Shanhai Pass, becoming the ruling dynasty of China proper.

Successive Qing rulers regarded Shengjing (present-day Shenyang) and Jilin (present-day Jilin City) as crucial ancestral lands of the Qing. To prevent the Manchu from assimilating into Han culture and to protect local special products, they implemented strict closure policies. During the Shunzhi and Kangxi reigns, they successively built two "Willow Palisades" (trenches with planted willows). Jilin City was located outside the "Old Palisade" but inside the "New Palisade," hence it was called "Beyond the Palisade." Remnants of these palisades (trenches) can still be seen today in places like Shulan. After the Qing entered China proper, they established the "Dasheng Ula Superintendent Office" in the former Ula territory of the Ming Dynasty, which was directly administered by the Imperial Household Department. By imperial decree, it was dedicated exclusively to procuring precious items for the imperial family, such as pearls, sturgeon, kaluga sturgeon, sable fur, ginseng, and pine nuts. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, annual tributes were uninterrupted.

After the Qing consolidated rule over the country, they stationed generals in key strategic areas like the Northeast. In 1673 (the 12th year of the Kangxi era), Deputy Commander-in-chief An Zhuhu of Ningguta was ordered to build the Jilin Wooden City (later rebuilt as an earthen city and then a brick city). In 1676 (the 15th year of Kangxi), General Bahai of Ningguta relocated his garrison to Jilin. From then on, Jilin City's population increased sharply. Jilin became an important town for the Qing government's administration over the Songhua, Ussuri, and Heilongjiang river basins, and the second most important political, military, economic, and transportation center in Northeast China after Shengjing.

To further defend against Russian invasion and ensure border stability, starting from 1661 (the 18th year of the Shunzhi era), the Qing court established shipyards and a naval camp along the Songhua River in present-day Jilin City, from Linjiang Gate to the Wend River estuary. This facility was tasked with building and repairing warships and training naval forces. Due to Jilin City's important military status, the Kangxi Emperor personally inspected Jilin twice, in 1682 and 1698, to review the navy. He spontaneously composed the poem "Songhua River Boating Song," after which "River City" became an officially designated alternative name for Jilin.

In 1727 (the 5th year of the Yongzheng era), Yongji Prefecture was established, with its seat in Jilin. In 1747 (the 12th year of the Qianlong era), Yongji Prefecture was changed to Jilin Subprefecture. In 1881 (the 7th year of the Guangxu era), Jilin Subprefecture was elevated to Jilin Directly Administered Subprefecture, and the following year it was further elevated to Jilin Prefecture. In April 1907 (the 33rd year of Guangxu), the Qing government announced the establishment of the provinces of Fengtian, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. The provincial capital of Jilin Province remained in Jilin City. The Jilin Provincial Administration established various offices and bureaus, such as the Industrial Promotion Office, Judicial Commissioner's Office, Education Commissioner's Office, Timber Tax Bureau, and Advisory Bureau.

3.7 Republic of China Period

In 1947, following a re-division, Jilin Province's capital was Jilin City.

During the Republic of China period, Jilin City remained the seat of the Jilin Provincial Government. In 1913 (the 2nd year of the Republic) and 1929 (the 18th year of the Republic), it was renamed Jilin County and Yongji County, respectively. On September 21, 1931, Japanese forces occupied Jilin. On March 1 the following year, the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo was established, setting up Jilin Province. The "Jilin Provincial Office" was initially located in Yongji County and later moved to Jilin City in 1934. In August 1945 (the 34th year of the Republic), Japan surrendered after its defeat in WWII. The Republic of China government established the Jilin Local Peace Preservation Committee. In October, under the organization of the Chinese Communist Party Jilin City Committee, the Jilin City Government was established. In November, the Jilin Provincial Government was established, with its capital in Jilin City. In May 1946 (the 35th year of the Republic), Communist forces withdrew from Jilin City, and the National Government established the Jilin Provincial Government and Jilin City Government. On March 9, 1948 (the 37th year of the Republic), the Chinese Communist Party captured Jilin City. On March 10, the Jilin Provincial Government moved from Yanji City to Jilin City. On March 23, the Jilin City People's Government was established.

3.8 People's Republic of China Period

After the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Jilin Provincial People's Government continued to be stationed in Jilin City. On September 27, 1954, Changchun was changed from a municipality directly under the central government to a city under the jurisdiction of Jilin Province. The Jilin Provincial People's Government relocated from Jilin City to Changchun City. Since then, Changchun has become the political, economic, and cultural center of Jilin Province. In March 1968, the Jilin City Revolutionary Committee was established. In 1980, the Jilin City Revolutionary Committee was abolished, and the Jilin City People's Government was restored. In 1984, the State Council approved Jilin City as a "Comparatively Large City," granting it the power to formulate local regulations.

At around 3:00 PM on March 8, 1976, a meteor shower event occurred in the northern suburbs of Jilin City. Following a series of rumbling sounds, many meteorite fragments of various sizes fell over an area of about 500 square kilometers covering parts of Jilin City's suburbs and Yongji and Jiaohe counties. Afterwards, over 100 complete meteorites were collected, totaling more than 2 tons in weight. The largest meteorite, "Jilin No. 1," landed in the fields of the Kaoshan Tenth Team in Huapichang Commune, Yongji County (now part of Changyi District). Upon impact, it created a loud explosion, sending up a mushroom-shaped dust plume tens of meters high. It penetrated the frozen soil layer, forming a pit 6.5 meters deep and 2 meters in diameter. This meteorite weighed 1,770 kilograms, is classified as an H-chondrite, and is the heaviest known stony meteorite in the world. It is now displayed at the Jilin City Museum. The total weight of meteorites collected from this event exceeded 2 tons. Remarkably, the meteorite shower caused no casualties, a rare occurrence in the history of recorded meteorite falls worldwide.

4. Geography

4.1 Location

Jilin City is located in the central-eastern part of Jilin Province, in the hinterland of Northeast China's Changbai Mountains, at the junction of the Songnen Plain and the Changbai Mountains. It lies between 125°40′ to 127°56′ east longitude and 42°31′ to 44°40′ north latitude. It borders Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture to the east, Changchun City and Siping City to the west, Harbin City of Heilongjiang Province to the north, and Baishan City, Tonghua City, and Liaoyuan City to the south. The total area under Jilin City's jurisdiction is 27,700 square kilometers, of which the urban area covers 3,774.35 square kilometers. By the end of 2016, the city's built-up area was 498.75 square kilometers, with an urbanized area of 189.04 square kilometers.

4.2 Topography

The urban area features a river valley basin terrain, with an average elevation of about 200 meters. It is surrounded by Longtan Mountain, Xiaobai Mountain, Zhuque Mountain, and Xuantian Ridge, reminiscent of the mythical guardians—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—with the Songhua River flowing through the city. In recent years, Jilin City has expanded northwestward beyond Xuantian Ridge, while development to the southeast has been slow due to mountainous barriers. The southern area along the Songhua River bend, such as the Songjiang South Road area in Fengman District, has developed relatively quickly in recent years.

4.3 Hydrology

The entire area of Jilin City belongs to the Songhua River basin, divided into three water systems: the Second Songhua River, the Lalin River, and the Mudan River. There are 277 rivers longer than 10 kilometers and 73 rivers longer than 20 kilometers within the city. The Second Songhua River system covers a basin area of 22,336 square kilometers within Jilin City, accounting for 84% of the city's total area, the Lalin River accounts for 15%, and the Weihu River, a tributary of the Mudan River, accounts for only 1%. There are 1,327 small watershed streams, mostly distributed in hilly, mountainous, and basin areas. The region harbors 3.5 million kilowatts of hydropower resources. On the main stream of the Second Songhua River, there are three hydroelectric power stations—Fengman, Hongshi, and Baishan—with a total installed capacity of 3.18 million kilowatts.

4.4 Climate

Jilin City has a temperate monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. Spring is dry with little rain, summer is warm and rainy, autumn is cool and mostly sunny, and winter is long and cold.

Jilin City Meteorological Data (1981–2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Record high °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) | 12.8 (55.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 30.6 (87.1) | 34.8 (94.6) | 35.1 (95.2) | 35.4 (95.7) | 35.7 (96.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 27.9 (82.2) | 19.6 (67.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 35.7 (96.3) | | Average high °C (°F) | -9.5 (14.9) | -4.3 (24.3) | 3.8 (38.8) | 14.6 (58.3) | 21.6 (70.9) | 26.3 (79.3) | 27.7 (81.9) | 26.8 (80.2) | 21.9 (71.4) | 13.8 (56.8) | 2.2 (36.0) | -6.3 (20.7) | 11.5 (52.8) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | -16.7 (1.9) | -11.5 (11.3) | -2.1 (28.2) | 8.0 (46.4) | 15.1 (59.2) | 20.5 (68.9) | 22.9 (73.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 15.2 (59.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | -3.4 (25.9) | -12.6 (9.3) | 5.3 (41.6) | | Average low °C (°F) | -22.9 (-9.2) | -18.2 (-0.8) | -7.8 (18.0) | 1.6 (34.9) | 8.5 (47.3) | 14.9 (58.8) | 18.4 (65.1) | 17.0 (62.6) | 8.9 (48.0) | 1.2 (34.2) | -8.7 (16.3) | -18.3 (-0.9) | -0.4 (31.2) | | Record low °C (°F) | -40.3 (-40.5) | -37.3 (-35.1) | -27.0 (-16.6) | -12.1 (10.2) | -7.5 (18.5) | 5.0 (41.0) | 10.7 (51.3) | 5.3 (41.5) | -4.1 (24.6) | -15.6 (3.9) | -29.1 (-20.4) | -36.4 (-33.5) | -40.3 (-40.5) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 5.9 (0.23) | 6.8 (0.27) | 15.3 (0.60) | 28.4 (1.12) | 57.3 (2.26) | 103.2 (4.06) | 164.6 (6.48) | 152.1 (5.99) | 56.6 (2.23) | 28.7 (1.13) | 17.1 (0.67) | 8.6 (0.34) | 644.6 (25.38) | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5.5 | 6.4 | 7.0 | 9.2 | 12.3 | 15.0 | 16.3 | 13.6 | 10.0 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 116.8 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 71 | 68 | 60 | 53 | 56 | 66 | 78 | 80 | 73 | 65 | 66 | 70 | 67 |

4.5 Soil, Flora, and Fauna

The soils in Jilin City exhibit distinct zonal and vertical distribution characteristics. Areas above 500 meters in elevation consist of gray-brown soils and a small amount of stony soil. The 300–500 meter elevation range features albic soils. Below 300 meters, along riverbanks and in intermountain valleys, there are alluvial soils, peat soils, along with small amounts of swamp soil and muck soil, as well as sporadically distributed black soil, limestone soil, and paddy soil.

The flora of Jilin City belongs to the Changbai Mountain flora. In terms of vegetation zoning, it falls within the temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest region, specifically the Changbai Mountain Korean pine, fir, and spruce mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest zone, and the Xiaoxing'an Mountains–Wanda Mountains Korean pine mixed broad-leaved forest zone (areas outside the Zhangguangcai Range and Laoye Ridge). Due to human activities and predatory logging during the period of imperialist aggression, vegetation has undergone degradation and succession. Primary forests are now rare, having been replaced by secondary mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests dominated by oak. Through measures such as mountain closure for afforestation, artificial forest cultivation, and rational tending and harvesting, vegetation has gradually progressed towards positive succession, forming forests such as fir-pine-moss forests, larch-moss forests, pine-broadleaf-grass forests, oak forests, lespedeza shrublands, oak-grass forests, broadleaf-grass forests, poplar-birch forests, and lowland willow forests. Plant communities include meadow swamp vegetation, hygrophytic grassland plants, mesophytic grassland plants, xerophytic grassland plants, shrub-perennial woody herbaceous plants, lespedeza shrubs, field weeds, and herbaceous plants.

The Jilin region is rich in animal resources. Wild economic animals belong to three classes (mammals, birds, amphibians), six orders, and thirteen families. The Siberian tiger, a national first-class protected endemic animal, is distributed in the Wudao Liuhe area of Huadian City. There are also fur-bearing animals, medicinal animals, ornamental animals, and forest-protecting birds with economic value for development and utilization.

5. Administrative Divisions

Jilin City currently administers 4 municipal districts, 1 county, and oversees 4 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Chuanying District, Changyi District, Longtan District, Fengman District
• County-level Cities: Shulan City, Huadian City, Jiaohe City, Panshi City
• County: Yongji County

Chuanying and Changyi are the old urban districts. Longtan is located on the north bank of the Songhua River, primarily the site of Jilin Chemical Industrial Company (commonly known as "Jiangbei" or "North of the River"). Fengman is on the south bank of the Songhua River (commonly known as "Jiangnan" or "South of the River") and has been vigorously developed since the 1990s.

The city currently has one national-level high-tech industrial development zone—Jilin High-Tech Industrial Development Zone—and one national-level economic and technological development zone—Jilin Economic and Technological Development Zone.

According to the Jilin Province Urban System Plan (2006-2020), Yongji County may be converted into a district.

In recent years, with urban expansion, the city area has been continuously growing. The current urban development pattern is residential areas expanding southward and industrial areas expanding northward. A new northern industrial zone is currently under construction.

| Division Code | Division Name | Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :---: | :---: | :--- | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | | 220200 | Jilin City | Jilin Shi | 27,711.41 | 3,623,713 | Chuanying District | 132000 | 68 | 56 | 20 | 4 | | 220202 | Changyi District | Changyi Qu | 857.20 | 637,544 | Xinghua Subdistrict | 132000 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | 220203 | Longtan District | Longtan Qu | 1,171.49 | 371,607 | Longhua Subdistrict | 132000 | 13 | 5 | 1 | | | 220204 | Chuanying District | Chuanying Qu | 665.91 | 464,893 | Desheng Subdistrict | 132000 | 12 | 3 | 1 | | | 220211 | Fengman District | Fengman Qu | 1,059.75 | 421,821 | Taishan Subdistrict | 132000 | 8 | 1 | 3 | | | 220221 | Yongji County | Yongji Xian | 2,625.67 | 280,633 | Kouqian Town | 132200 | | 7 | 2 | 1 | | 220281 | Jiaohe City | Jiaohe Shi | 6,369.88 | 328,925 | Minzhu Subdistrict | 132500 | 7 | 8 | 2 | | | 220282 | Huadian City | Huadian Shi | 6,520.77 | 341,308 | Minghua Subdistrict | 132400 | 5 | 6 | 3 | | | 220283 | Shulan City | Shulan Shi | 4,559.56 | 406,744 | Binhe Subdistrict | 132600 | 5 | 10 | 5 | | | 220284 | Panshi City | Panshi Shi | 3,861.20 | 370,238 | Dongning Subdistrict | 132300 | 4 | 13 | | |

6. Economy

Jilin City is a typical industrial city, with a relatively large proportion of secondary industry. In recent years, there has been a trend toward developing the tertiary industry.

6.1 Secondary Industry

The industry of Jilin City began with the Machine Bureau established in Jilin during the Qing Dynasty. During the Manchukuo period, Japan considered the surrounding environment of Jilin suitable for developing chemical and power industries. As a result, the Fengman Hydropower Station was built in the south of the city (largely completed before Japan's surrender), and plans were made to establish a chemical industry base in the north of the city (which was never realized). After the founding of the People's Republic of China, from 1950 to 1954, the Sino-Soviet joint determination of 156 key projects (actually 150 projects) included 7 in Jilin City: Jilin Ferroalloy Plant, Calcium Carbide Plant, Dye Plant, Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant, Cable Plant, Thermal Power Station, and Fengman Hydropower Station. In the 1960s, a man-made fiber plant and a semiconductor plant were also built. In the 1970s, among the 26 sets of equipment introduced from Western countries under China's "Four-Three Plan," one was installed in Jilin City (most of these facilities were located in the western regions at the time): the 115,000-ton ethylene project.

In the 1980s, Jilin City also established a number of consumer goods industrial enterprises, the most famous of which was the Jinor Refrigerator Factory. It introduced Japanese equipment and was once as renowned as Haier but ultimately went bankrupt. In the 1990s, influenced by the market economy, international conditions, and state-owned enterprise reforms, Jilin City's industry experienced a decline. In 2000, PetroChina acquired all assets of Jilin Chemical, making it a subsidiary. In 2005, Chenming Paper further acquired the assets of Jilin City Paper Mill. In 2016, PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical returned to profitability after a long period of losses.

Currently, the main industrial enterprises in Jilin City include: PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical, Jilin Ferroalloy Plant, Jilin Carbon Plant, Jilin Chenming Paper, Jilin Huadian Electronics, Jilin Chemical Fiber Group, Tonggang Group Jilin Steel Plant, and Jilin Wahaha Beverages, among others.

6.2 Tertiary Industry

The One-Net Citywide E-commerce Platform operated by Jilin City Tongtai Logistics is the largest regional e-commerce platform in Northeast China.

In recent years, Jilin City has also promoted the tourism slogan "Jixiang Travel, Four Seasons Travel" to boost a series of industries such as retail, tourism, and accommodation.

7. Transportation

7.1 Railway

The Jilin-Changchun Railway commenced construction in June 1910 and was completed in October 1912, spanning 127 kilometers and connecting the two major cities of Changchun and Jilin. In June 1926, the Jilin-Dunhua Railway began construction, linking the cities of Jilin and Dunhua, and was completed in October 1928. Currently, both sections are part of the Changchun-Tumen Railway. Due to poor railway conditions, the Changchun-Jilin Intercity Railway between Changchun and Jilin commenced operation on December 30, 2010. Meanwhile, the Jilin-Hunchun Passenger Dedicated Line, connecting Jilin to Hunchun via Tumen, began construction in 2010 and opened on September 20, 2015.

Dissatisfied with the constraints imposed by Japan and Russia on the railways at the time, the Fengtian warlord Zhang Zuolin resolved to build railways under his own control. Consequently, he oversaw the construction of the Fenghai Railway and the Jihai Railway. The former began construction in July 1925 and was completed in September 1927, while the latter started in June 1927 and was finished in May 1929. These two sections are now collectively known as the Shenyang-Jilin Railway, with a total length of 446 kilometers, starting from Shenyang City in Liaoning Province and ending in Jilin. This railway plays a significant role in diverting freight traffic from the Beijing-Harbin Railway. To enhance the railway transport capacity in the Jilin area, the Jilin Railway Hub West Ring Line project commenced construction on March 1, 2016, and opened on September 26, 2024.

The Jilin-Shulan Railway, built in 1941, connects Jilin to Shulan, shortening the route from Jilin to Harbin via the Changchun-Tumen Railway and the Lalin-Harbin Railway by 68 kilometers.

7.1.1 Passenger Stations

Jilin Railway Station is currently the only passenger station within the Jilin Railway Hub and does not handle freight services. The railways passing through include the Changchun-Tumen Railway, Shenyang-Jilin Railway, Jilin-Shulan Railway, and the Changchun-Hunchun Intercity Railway.

7.2 Highway

The total length of highways in the city reached 14,615 kilometers (as of 2007), including 2 national highways, 6 provincial highways, and 28 county roads.

The G12 Hunchun-Ulanhot Expressway began construction on May 18, 1995, and opened on September 9, 1997. The project was designed with a six-lane roadbed, initially paved with four lanes. The four-to-six lane expansion project for the Changchun to Longjia International Airport section was carried out in 2009. The expansion project for the Longjia to Jilin section started on September 25, 2017, with a two-year construction period and has now been completed. The project was also nominated for the Ministry of Transport's "Zhan Tianyou Award."

The G12 Jilin-Yanji Expressway officially opened on September 28, 2008.

The Jilin section of the G1212 Shenyang-Jilin Expressway (Jilin to Caoshi) was completed and opened on September 30, 2011. The Jilin City Ring Expressway (Jilin Outer Ring) opened by the end of 2012. The Liaoning section (Shenyang to Caoshi) had already opened on September 27, 2010.

Additionally, the Jilin section of the G1211 Jilin-Heihe Expressway opened on November 1, 2018. On March 4, 2024, the Shanhe (Jilin-Heilongjiang provincial boundary) to Harbin (Yongyuan Town) section of the Jilin-Heihe Expressway officially opened to traffic.

Major roads in the urban area include Jiefang Avenue, Jilin Street, Rime Avenue, Songjiang Road, Binjiang Road, Hengshan Road, Zunyi Road, Heping Road, Yueshan Road, Hunchun Street, Changchun Road, etc. Major bridges crossing the Songhua River include Linjiangmen Bridge, Jilin Bridge, Jiangwan Bridge, Rime Bridge, Longtan Bridge, Halong Bridge, etc.

7.3 Public Transportation

7.3.1 Buses

Jilin City currently has over 80 bus routes. Most routes are operated by the Jilin City Urban Public Transportation Group Co., Ltd., while private routes are run by companies such as Xingping Bus and Fangzhou Passenger Transport, as well as suburban routes operated by urban passenger transport companies. The bus routes in Jilin City cover the entire urban area and some nearby suburbs.

The bus fleet in Jilin primarily consists of brands such as FAW (Dalian) and Yutong. By length, they can be categorized into 12-meter, 10.5-meter, 9-meter, 8.5-meter, and 7.5-meter single-unit vehicles, as well as 11-meter double-decker buses. By fuel type, they include hybrid, CNG, LNG, and diesel vehicles. Urban routes mostly use large vehicles over 10 meters, while suburban routes predominantly use smaller vehicles under 9 meters.

Most urban routes are unmanned fare-collection buses that accept cards. The bus fare is 1 yuan for cash payment, 0.9 yuan with a Jilin City Urban Pass regular card, 0.5 yuan with a student card, and seniors aged 65 and above can apply for a senior card for free rides. Among these, Route 46 is the busiest route in Jilin City and the only route with double-decker buses.

The earliest starting bus route in Jilin City is Route 8 (first departure at 4:50 for the upward direction), and the latest ending route is Route 46 (last departure at 21:36 for the downward direction). Routes such as 7, 8, 42, and 46 are designated as "Worker Pioneer" routes.

There is also a private route in the urban area—Route 808 (Wanli City RT-Mart to Yili Garden Chaoyang Garden), with a fare of 1 yuan. Operating hours are from 05:50 to 18:30 daily.

Compared to other Chinese cities of similar size, Jilin City faces issues such as insufficient bus numbers, long intervals between buses, early end times, and inadequate coverage of secondary streets by bus routes. However, significant progress has been made in recent years. In 2015, the Municipal Transportation Bureau planned to integrate 27 contracted suburban routes, which would further improve Jilin's public transportation system.

7.3.2 Rail Transit

Jilin City plans to build a monorail system (officially referred to as "straddle-type rail transit"). The pilot section route has been determined, with construction expected to start in June 2016 and completion in July 2018. It will connect Jiangnan, Jiangbei, the city center, and the southern new town, crossing the Songhua River three times. The entire project spans 169 kilometers and consists of 5 lines, with full completion expected by 2050.

7.4 Aviation

Jilin Airport was originally the Ertaizi Air Force Airport, built in 1952. In 1988, with approval from the State Council and the Central Military Commission, it was developed into a civilian feeder airport, opening for civilian use on April 1, 1991. Since the completion of the Changchun Longjia International Airport in 2005, Jilin City and Changchun City have shared this airport, while the original Jilin Ertaizi Airport was converted into a purely military airport.

Longjia Airport operates shuttle buses to and from Jiangcheng Square in Jilin City. After the opening of the Changchun-Jilin Intercity Railway in 2011, EMU trains can directly enter the underground of the terminal building, making transportation between Changchun, Jilin, and Longjia Airport more convenient.

8. Education

8.1 Higher Education Institutions

• Beihua University
• Northeast Electric Power University
• Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology
• Jilin Medical College
• Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology College
• Jilin Electronic Information Vocational and Technical College
• Jilin Industrial Vocational and Technical College
• Jilin Railway Vocational and Technical College

8.2 Secondary Schools

• Jilin City No. 1 Middle School
• Jihua No. 1 Senior High School
• Jilin No. 2 Middle School
• Jilin Yuwen Middle School
• Jilin No. 4 Middle School
• Jilin City No. 5 Middle School
• Jilin No. 7 Middle School
• Jilin No. 9 Middle School
• Jilin No. 12 Middle School
• Songhuajiang Middle School
• Jiangcheng Middle School
• Jilin City Experimental Middle School
• Jihua No. 6 Middle School
• Jihua No. 9 Middle School
• Tian Jiabing Middle School (formerly Jilin Railway No. 1 Middle School)
• Songcheng Middle School
• Jilin City Yaqiao Senior High School

9. Population

According to the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the city's resident population was 4,414,681 people. Compared with the Fifth National Population Census, the population decreased by 70,813 people over ten years, a decline of 1.58%, with an average annual decrease of 0.16%. Among them, males numbered 2,234,521, accounting for 50.62% of the total population; females numbered 2,180,160, accounting for 49.38% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 102.49. The population aged 0-14 was 488,500, accounting for 11.06%; the population aged 15-64 was 3,514,444, accounting for 79.61%; and the population aged 65 and above was 411,737, accounting for 9.33%.

According to 2016 statistical data, as of the end of 2016, the total population of Jilin City's administrative districts was 4.2246 million, of which the urban district population was 1.8187 million, with an additional temporary resident population of 22,100.

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's resident population was 3,623,713 people. Compared with the 4,413,157 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the population decreased by 789,444 people over ten years, a decline of 17.89%, with an average annual growth rate of -1.95%. Among them, the male population was 1,803,823, accounting for 49.78% of the total population; the female population was 1,819,890, accounting for 50.22% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 99.12. The population aged 0-14 was 396,183, accounting for 10.93% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 2,312,440, accounting for 63.81% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 915,090, accounting for 25.25% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 620,923, accounting for 17.13% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 2,301,426, accounting for 63.51% of the total population; the population residing in rural areas was 1,322,287, accounting for 36.49% of the total population.

9.1 Ethnic Groups

Jilin City is home to 35 ethnic groups, including Han, Manchu, Korean, Hui, and Mongolian. Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic population was 3,289,805, accounting for 90.79%; the total population of various ethnic minorities was 333,908, accounting for 9.21%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han ethnic population decreased by 746,004 people, a decline of 18.48%, and its proportion of the total population decreased by 0.66 percentage points; the total population of ethnic minorities decreased by 43,440 people, a decline of 11.51%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.66 percentage points. Among them, the Manchu population decreased by 19,939 people, a decline of 9.98%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.44 percentage points; the Korean ethnic population decreased by 24,244 people, a decline of 17.66%, and its proportion of the total population increased by 0.01 percentage points.

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10. Sister Cities

• Volgograd, Russia
• Nakhodka, Russia
• Spokane, United States
• Cupertino, United States
• Matsue, Japan
• Yamagata, Japan
• Prince Albert, Canada
• Mangyongdae District, North Korea

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Originating from the Manchu word "Jilin Ula," meaning "along the river."

Chuanying District

Changyi District

The Han population accounts for 90.79%; various ethnic minorities make up 9.21%.

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