Yichun (伊春)

1. Introduction

Yichun City, also known as the Forest Capital or Forest City, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Heilongjiang Province, People's Republic of China, located in the northern part of Heilongjiang Province. The city borders Hegang City and Jiamusi City to the east, Harbin City to the south, Suihua City and Heihe City to the west, and Russia's Amur Oblast and Jewish Autonomous Oblast to the north. Situated in the southern section of the Lesser Khingan Mountains, the entire area has a high forest coverage rate. The northern border is formed by the Heilongjiang River, which serves as the Sino-Russian boundary river. The Tangwang River, a left-bank tributary of the Songhua River, flows through the entire territory. In the southwest, there are the Hulan River and the Yijimi River, while in the northeast, there is the Jiayin River. Yichun City is an important forest industry base in China, with its economy primarily focused on timber harvesting and wood processing. In 2005, the United Nations awarded Yichun City the honor of "Model for Urban Forest Ecological Protection and Sustainable Development—Green Yichun." The Municipal People's Government is located in Yimei District.

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2. History

Yichun City is named after the Yichun River, a tributary of the Tangwang River. "Yichun" originates from the Mongolian word "Yixun," meaning "the number nine." During the Qing Dynasty, it was successively under the jurisdiction of the Qiqihar Deputy Commander and the Hulan Deputy Commander. In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China period, it was placed under the administration of Tangyuan County as its Fifth District (Nancha District), an area of primeval forest.

In 1950, the Yichun Forestry Bureau was established. On September 29, 1952, Yichun County was established, subordinate to the Songhuajiang Administrative Office of Songjiang Province. In February 1954, based on instructions from the Northeast Bureau, the Songjiang Provincial Party Committee decided to abolish the Yichun County Party Committee and establish the Yichun Forest Area Work Committee of the Communist Party of China. The Yichun Work Committee exercised unified leadership over Yichun County and the Yichun Forest Industry Management Bureau, with Liu Sicong serving as Secretary. On September 13, 1957, with State Council approval, the provincially-administered Yichun County was changed to Yichun City, subordinate to the Songhuajiang Administrative Office of Heilongjiang Province. On November 20, 1957, eight districts were established. On August 27, 1958, the provincially-administered Yichun City was officially placed under the Songhuajiang Special District, and on November 1, the eight districts were converted into eight people's communes. In March 1960, eight more people's communes were added, totaling 16 communes under its jurisdiction. On December 17, 1962, this was changed to 11 districts under its jurisdiction. On January 15, 1963, Yichun City was placed under the direct leadership of Heilongjiang Province, implemented on December 24, 1963. On June 23, 1964, following Notification No. 386 (1964) issued by the Central Committee, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council approved the abolition of Yichun City and the establishment of the Yichun Special Zone, implementing a unified government-enterprise management system led primarily by the Party organization of the Ministry of Forestry, with the Provincial Party Committee providing secondary leadership. Based on the original 10 districts, the Special Zone added five districts—Wuminhe, Youhao, Hongxing, Dongfeng, and Shangganling—on December 21, totaling 15 districts under its jurisdiction. Each district and forestry bureau implemented the unified government-enterprise system. On April 16, 1965, with Provincial Party Committee approval, Yixin District was abolished, and Yichun Town and Yidong District were established (implementing a unified government-enterprise system with the Yidong Forestry Bureau). On May 27, with Ministry of Forestry approval, the Yidong and Wuminhe Forestry Bureaus were merged, named the Wuminhe Forestry Bureau. The Yidong District administrative structure was abolished, and its former administrative area was placed under the jurisdiction of Wuminhe. In November 1966, the Dailing Forestry Experimental Bureau was transferred from the national Ministry of Forestry to the leadership of the Yichun Forestry Management Bureau.

On May 5, 1967, with approval from the Heilongjiang Provincial Revolutionary Committee, the Yichun City Revolutionary Committee was established, marking the de facto renaming of the Yichun Special Zone to Yichun City (a provincially-administered city). It governed 16 district revolutionary committees. That same year, the Wuyiling Forestry Bureau was completed and began operations. On November 17, the Kelin District Revolutionary Committee was established. By then, the Yichun City Revolutionary Committee governed 17 district revolutionary committees (Yichun, Dailing, Nancha, Haolianghe, Dafeng, Meixi, Cuiluan, Wuminhe, Shuangzihe, Youhao, Shangganling, Wuying, Hongxing, Xinqing, Dongfeng, Wuyiling, Kelin).

On November 13, 1969, Nancha District (Nancha Forestry Bureau) merged with Haolianghe District (Haolianghe Forestry Bureau), becoming Nancha District (Nancha Forestry Bureau); Youhao District (Youhao Forestry Bureau) merged with Shuangzihe District (Shuangzihe Forestry Bureau), becoming Youhao District (Youhao Forestry Bureau); Xilin District was established.

On April 1, 1970, the State Council approved: the abolition of Yichun City and the establishment of the Yichun Prefecture, with Tieli and Jiayin counties placed under its jurisdiction. Heilongjiang Province approved the transfer of four forestry bureaus—Shuangfeng, Tieli, Taoshan, Langxiang (the "Southern Four Bureaus")—and the Tieli Wood Dry Distillation Plant to the Yichun Forestry Management Bureau. The Yichun Prefecture Revolutionary Committee governed 2 counties (Jiayin, Tieli), 3 districts (Yichun, Xilin, Kelin), 13 districts unified with forestry bureaus (Dailing, Nancha, Dafeng, Meixi, Cuiluan, Wuminhe, Youhao, Shangganling, Wuying, Hongxing, Xinqing, Dongfeng, Wuyiling), and 4 forestry bureaus (Tieli, Shuangfeng, Langxiang, Taoshan). On May 23, 1972, Kelin District was abolished. On November 20, 1974, the Heilongjiang Provincial Revolutionary Committee approved that the Dailing Forestry Experimental Bureau would remain directly under the Provincial Forestry Headquarters. On December 14, 1979, State Council Document No. 288 decided to restore Yichun City, placing it under direct provincial leadership while maintaining the unified government-enterprise system. The two counties, Jiayin and Tieli, previously led by Yichun Prefecture, remained under the leadership of Yichun City. On October 25, 1980, the Yichun City Revolutionary Committee was changed to the Yichun Municipal People's Government, sharing offices with the Yichun Forestry Management Bureau. The Yichun Resources and Forest Administration Bureau was actually responsible for specific forestry affairs.

On December 24, 1983, the Heilongjiang Provincial People's Government approved the renaming of Wuminhe District to Wumahe District, Dongfeng District to Tangwanghe District, and Dafeng District to Jinshantun District.

In 2008, the State Council listed Yichun among the first batch of resource-exhausted cities, naming it one of the five resource-based cities for economic transformation pilot projects.

In October 2018, the Heilongjiang Yichun Forest Industry Group Co., Ltd. was officially established. The Yichun Forestry Management Bureau was abolished (ending its shared office arrangement with the municipal government), and the Municipal Forestry and Grassland Bureau was formed. Four new urban public security sub-bureaus—Yimei, Youhao, Wucui, Jinlin—and seven new forest public security sub-bureaus—Shuangfeng, Langxiang, Meixi, Wumahe, Shangganling, Wuying, Wuyiling—were established. This completely abolished the long-standing system of "shared offices and dual functions" between local grassroots public security and forest public security.

On July 13, 2019, Yichun City held a mobilization meeting to announce the "State Council Approval on Adjusting Part of the Administrative Divisions of Yichun City, Heilongjiang Province." Fifteen municipal districts were abolished, and eight new counties/districts were established: Tangwang County, Fenglin County, Nancha County, Daqingshan County, Yimei District, Wucui District, Youhao District, and Jinlin District.

3. Geography

The area consists of low mountains and hills, with the main ridge of the Lesser Khingan Range extending southeastward from here. It features a mid-temperate continental monsoon climate, with an annual precipitation of approximately 630 mm, an average annual temperature of 1.0°C, an average January temperature of -22.5°C, and an average July temperature of 21.0°C.

3.1 Climate

Belongs to the temperate monsoon climate.

Yichun City Meteorological Data (1971–2000)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Record High (°C / °F) | 1.0 (33.8) | 8.0 (46.4) | 18.7 (65.7) | 27.9 (82.2) | 31.7 (89.1) | 35.1 (95.2) | 36.3 (97.3) | 35.4 (95.7) | 29.8 (85.6) | 26.8 (80.2) | 13.6 (56.5) | 2.2 (36.0) | 36.3 (97.3) | | Average High (°C / °F) | -14.5 (5.9) | -7.8 (18.0) | 0.7 (33.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 19.4 (66.9) | 24.4 (75.9) | 27.1 (80.8) | 25.0 (77.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | -2.4 (27.7) | -12.6 (9.3) | 8.3 (46.9) | | Daily Mean (°C / °F) | -22.4 (-8.3) | -16.7 (1.9) | -6.8 (19.8) | 4.6 (40.3) | 12.0 (53.6) | 17.7 (63.9) | 21.0 (69.8) | 18.7 (65.7) | 11.8 (53.2) | 2.8 (37.0) | -9.0 (15.8) | -18.2 (-0.8) | 1.3 (34.3) | | Average Low (°C / °F) | -29.1 (-20.4) | -24.5 (-12.1) | -14.4 (6.1) | -2.0 (28.4) | 4.4 (39.9) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 13.6 (56.5) | 6.0 (42.8) | -2.9 (26.8) | -14.7 (5.5) | -24.9 (-12.8) | -5.2 (22.7) | | Record Low (°C / °F) | -41.2 (-42.2) | -41.2 (-42.2) | -37.9 (-36.2) | -18.6 (-1.5) | -8.8 (16.2) | 0.5 (32.9) | 4.5 (40.1) | 0.4 (32.7) | -5.9 (21.4) | -22.5 (-8.5) | -33.1 (-27.6) | -40.4 (-40.7) | -41.2 (-42.2) | | Average Precipitation (mm / inches) | 4.8 (0.19) | 4.8 (0.19) | 10.0 (0.39) | 23.3 (0.92) | 50.6 (1.99) | 109.3 (4.30) | 151.9 (5.98) | 145.0 (5.71) | 74.5 (2.93) | 33.0 (1.30) | 11.6 (0.46) | 8.2 (0.32) | 627.0 (24.69) | | Average Precipitation Days (≥0.1mm) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 9.4 | 12.5 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.5 | 13.5 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 9.6 | 130.5 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Yichun City currently administers 4 municipal districts and 5 counties, and also governs 1 county-level city on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Yimei District, Wucui District, Youhao District, Jinlin District
• County-level City: Tieli City
• Counties: Jiayin County, Tangwang County, Fenglin County, Daqingshan County, Nancha County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|--------------------------------| | 230700 | Yichun City | Yīchūn Shì | 32,800.28 | 878,881 | Yimei District | 153000 | 7 | 29 | 8 | 1 | | 230717 | Yimei District| Yīměi Qū | 2,711.26 | 173,320 | Xuri Subdistrict | 153099 | 6 | 2 | | | | 230718 | Wucui District| Wūcuì Qū | 2,424.07 | 72,259 | Cuiluan Town | 153013 | | 2 | | | | 230719 | Youhao District| Yǒuhǎo Qū | 3,001.48 | 54,302 | Shuangzihe Town | 153031 | | 1 | 3 | | | 230751 | Jinlin District| Jīnlín Qū | 2,235.69 | 60,466 | Jinshantun Town | 153026 | | 2 | | | | 230722 | Jiayin County | Jiāyìn Xiàn | 6,748.75 | 56,523 | Chaoyang Town | 153200 | | 4 | 5 | | | 230723 | Tangwang County| Tāngwàng Xiàn | 2,141.91 | 33,245 | Tangwanghe Town | 153037 | | 2 | | | | 230724 | Fenglin County| Fēnglín Xiàn | 2,971.16 | 62,214 | Xinqing Town | 153036 | | 3 | | | | 230725 | Daqingshan County| Dàqìngshān Xiàn | 3,719.27 | 57,697 | Dailing Town | 153106 | | 2 | | | | 230726 | Nancha County | Nánchà Xiàn | 3,084.05 | 82,895 | Nancha Town | 153100 | | 4 | | |

5. Economy

It is one of China's key forest regions, renowned as the "Forest Capital of the Motherland" and the "Hometown of Korean Pine." The total forest stock volume reaches 245 million cubic meters. The main tree species include Korean pine, larch, spruce-fir, poplar, birch, Manchurian walnut, and Manchurian ash. Its annual timber output accounts for one-tenth of the nation's total.

6. Transportation

• Nanwu Railway
• Terminal of the under-construction Ha-Yi High-Speed Railway
• Terminal of National Highway 222
• National Highway 332 passes through
• Yichun Lindu Airport (opened on August 27, 2009)

7. Education

Higher Vocational (Specialist) Colleges: Yichun Vocational College

8. Population

According to the main data bulletin of the seventh national population census of Heilongjiang Province (China), the resident population of the region was 878,881.

According to the 2010 sixth national population census, as of zero hour on November 1, 2010, the resident population of Yichun City was 1,148,126. Among them, the male population was 577,388, accounting for 50.29%; the female population was 570,738, accounting for 49.71%. The sex ratio (with females as 100) was 101.17. The population aged 0-14 was 107,418, accounting for 9.36%; the population aged 15-64 was 907,731, accounting for 79.06%; and the population aged 65 and above was 132,977, accounting for 11.58%.

At the end of 2015, the total population was 1,211,895, with a registered household population of 1.2119 million, and an urban registered household population of 768,900. Among them, the urban population was 974,572, and the rural population was 237,323. The male population was 603,423, accounting for 49.8%; the female population was 608,472, accounting for 50.2%. The number of births was 5,161, with a birth rate of 4.24‰; the number of deaths was 11,791, with a death rate of 9.7‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -5.45‰. The sex ratio at birth was 106.3.

At the end of 2016, the total population was 1,175,812. Among them, the urban population was 949,882, and the rural population was 225,930. The male population was 584,865, accounting for 49.7%; the female population was 590,947, accounting for 50.3%. The number of births was 4,662, with a birth rate of 4.74‰; the number of deaths was 9,806, with a death rate of 8.21‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -3.47‰. The sex ratio at birth was 108.8.

At the end of 2017, the total population was 1,159,286. Among them, the urban population was 941,288; the rural population was 217,998. The urbanization rate of the registered population was 81.2%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year. The male population was 575,072, accounting for 49.6%; the female population was 584,214, accounting for 50.4%. The number of births was 5,192, with a birth rate of 4.4‰; the number of deaths was 15,567, with a death rate of 13.3‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -8.9‰. The sex ratio at birth was 107.9.

At the end of 2018, the total population was 1,140,938. Among them, the urban population was 923,495; the rural population was 217,443. The urbanization rate of the registered population was 80.9%, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. The male population was 565,199, accounting for 49.5%; the female population was 575,739, accounting for 50.5%. The number of births was 4,413, with a birth rate of 3.84‰; the number of deaths was 9,736, with a death rate of 8.47‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -4.63‰. The sex ratio at birth was 102.7.

At the end of 2019, the total population was 1,124,360. Among them, the urban population was 918,676, and the rural population was 205,684. The urbanization rate of the registered population was 81.7%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year. The male population was 556,788, accounting for 49.5%; the female population was 567,572, accounting for 50.5%. The number of births was 3,879, with a birth rate of 3.4‰; the number of deaths was 8,403, with a death rate of 7.4‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -4.0‰. The sex ratio at birth was 108.5.

According to the 2020 seventh national population census, the city's resident population was 878,881. Compared with the 1,148,126 people from the sixth national population census, there was a total decrease of 269,245 people over ten years, a decline of 23.45%, with an average annual growth rate of -2.64%. Among them, the male population was 437,751, accounting for 49.81% of the total population; the female population was 441,130, accounting for 50.19% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 99.23. The population aged 0-14 was 65,043, accounting for 7.4% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 572,742, accounting for 65.17% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 241,096, accounting for 27.43% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 160,147, accounting for 18.22% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 744,000, accounting for 84.65% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 134,881, accounting for 15.35% of the total population.

At the end of 2021, the resident population was 850,000, and the registered population was 1,083,641. Among them, the urban population was 942,771; the rural population was 140,870. The urbanization rate of the registered population was 87.0%. The male population was 536,513, accounting for 49.5%; the female population was 547,128, accounting for 50.5%. The number of births was 2,321, and the number of deaths was 8,817.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

According to data from the 2000 fifth national population census, the city had 28 ethnic minorities with a population of 38,488, accounting for 3.08% of the city's total population. Ethnic minorities with populations exceeding 10,000 included the Manchu and Hui ethnic groups; those exceeding 1,000 included the Korean and Mongolian ethnic groups; populations of other ethnic minorities ranged from a few to several hundred people.

According to the 2010 population census, the ethnic minority population in Yichun City was 24,853, accounting for 2.16% of the total population, comprising 31 ethnic minorities. Among them, only the Oroqen ethnic group is indigenous, while other ethnic minorities migrated after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The top seven ethnic minorities by population were: Manchu (8,613 people), Hui (7,644 people), Korean (7,024 people), Mongolian (1,021 people), Xibe (161 people), Oroqen (131 people), and Daur (81 people). Yichun City has one ethnic township (Tieli City's Nianfeng Korean Ethnic Township) and 13 ethnic villages (9 Korean villages, 3 Russian villages, and 1 Oroqen village).

In the 2020 citywide resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 860,159, accounting for 97.87%; the Korean ethnic group population was 6,414, accounting for 0.73%; the Manchu ethnic group population was 6,369, accounting for 0.72%; and other ethnic minority populations totaled 5,939, accounting for 0.68%. Compared with the 2010 sixth national population census, the Han population decreased by 263,114, a decline of 23.42%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.03 percentage points; the total ethnic minority population decreased by 6,131, a decline of 24.67%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.03 percentage points. Among them, the Korean population decreased by 610, a decline of 8.68%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.12 percentage points; the Manchu population decreased by 2,244, a decline of 26.05%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.03 percentage points.

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9. Sister Cities

Bad Wildungen, Germany (August 25, 1988) Birobidzhan, Russia (May 18, 2011) Azuga, Romania (June 16, 2013) Camrose, Canada (October 9, 2015) Kemijärvi, Finland (September 22, 2017)

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Named after the Yichun River.

3 Xing'an Street, Yimei District

Tieli City

Han Chinese account for 97.87%; Korean Chinese account for 0.73%; Manchu Chinese account for 0.72%; other ethnic minorities account for 0.68%.

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