Jilin
For the city, see Jilin City.
(; Postal System Pinyin: Kirin), is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west. The name was transliterated to Kirin before standardization to pinyin.
The name "Jilin" probably originates from Jilin wula
(T: 吉林烏拉 / S: 吉林乌拉), the Chinese transcription of the Manchu term girin ula'' meaning "along the river". The literal meaning of the Chinese characters for "Jilin" is "auspicious forest".
In ancient times Jilin was inhabited by various peoples, including the
Mohe and the
Wuji. The kingdom of
Balhae (Bohai in Chinese) was established in the area from
698 to
926 AD. The region then fell successively under the domination of the
Khitan Liao Dynasty, the
Jurchen Jin Dynasty, and the
Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the
Qing Dynasty much of the area was under the control of the General of Jilin, whose area of control extended to the
Sea of Japan to encompass much of what is
Russia's
Primorsky Krai today. Immigration of
Han Chinese was strictly controlled.
However, after the
Primorsky Krai area was ceded to Russia in
1860, the
Qing government began to open the area up to
Han Chinese migrants, most of whom came from
Shandong. By the beginning of the
20th century Han Chinese had become the dominant ethnic group of the region. In
1932 the area was incorporated into
Manchukuo, a
puppet state set up by
Japan, and
Changchun, capital of Jilin today, was made the capital of Manchukuo. After the defeat of
Japan in
1945 the region, together with the rest of northeastern China was handed to the communists by the
Soviets. Manchuria was then the staging ground from which the communists eventually conquered the rest of China.
In
1949, Jilin province was smaller, encompassing only the environs of
Changchun and
Jilin City, and the capital was at
Jilin City, while
Changchun was a municipality independent from the province. In the
1950s Jilin was expanded to its present borders today. During the
Cultural Revolution Jilin was expanded again to include a part of
Inner Mongolia, giving it a border with the independent state of
Mongolia, though this was later reversed. In recent times Jilin has, together with the rest of
heavy industry-based
Northeast China, been facing economic difficulties with
privatization. This has prompted the central government to undertake the
Revitalize the Northeast Campaign.
Jilin is highest in altitude in the southeast, and drops gently towards the northwest. The
Changbai Mountains run through its southeastern regions, and contains the highest peak of the province,
Baiyun Peak at 2691 m. Other mountain ranges include the
Jilinhada Mountains,
Zhang Guangcai Mountains, and
Longgang Mountains.
Jilin is
drained by the
Yalu and
Tumen Rivers in the extreme southwest (which together form the border between
China and
North Korea), by
tributaries of the
Liao River along the southern border, and by the
Songhua and
Nen rivers, both eventually flowing into the
Amur.
Jilin has a northerly
continental monsoon climate, with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. Average January temperatures range from -20 to -14
°C. Rainfall averages at 350 - 1000 mm.
Major cities:
*
Changchun*
Jilin City*
Siping*
Liaoyuan*
Tonghua*
YanjiJilin is made up of 8
prefecture-level cities and 1 autonomous prefecture.
*
Changchun (长春市 : Chángchūn shì)
*
Jilin City (吉林市 : Jílín shì)
*
Siping (四平市 : Sìpíng shì)
*
Liaoyuan (辽源市 : Liáoyuán shì)
*
Tonghua (通化市 : Tōnghuà shì)
*
Baishan (白山市 : Báishān shì)
*
Songyuan (松原市 : Sōngyuán shì)
*
Baicheng (白城市 : Báichéng shì)
*
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture (延边朝鲜族自治州 : Yánbiān Cháoxiǎnzú Zìzhìzhōu)
For a complete list of the county-level divisions of Jilin, see
List of administrative divisions of Jilin. These administrative divisions are explained in greater detail at
Political divisions of China.
Jilin's
agricultural production is centered upon
rice,
maize, and
sorghum.
Rice is mostly cultivated in the eastern parts, such as
Yanbian prefecture. The
Changbai Mountains are an important source of
lumber.
Herding of
sheep is an important activity in the western parts, such as
Baicheng prefecture-level city.
Compared to other provinces of China, Jilin has extensive deposits of
Kieselguhr,
wollastonite,
floadstone, and
molybdenum.
Industry in Jilin is concentrated on
automobiles,
train carriages, and
iron alloy.
Jilin's nominal GDP for
2004 was 295.8 billion yuan (US$36.69 billion) and ranks 20th in the country. Its GDP per capita was 9,350 yuan (US$1,130).
Jilin is inhabited by
Han Chinese,
Koreans,
Manchus,
Hui,
Mongols and
Xibe. Most ethnic Koreans live in the
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture.
Excludes members of the
People's Liberation Army in active service.
Source: Department of Population, Social, Science and Technology Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics of China (国家统计局人口'社会科技统计司) and Department of Economic Development of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of China (国家民族事务"员会经济发展司), eds.
Tabulation on Nationalities of 2000 Population Census of China (《2000年人口普查中国民族人口资料》). 2 vols. Beijing: Nationalities Publishing House (民族出版社), 2003. (ISBN 7105054255)
Jilin's culture is part of a
culture of Northeast China that is quite homogeneous across all of the northeastern China. In particular,
Jiju, or Jilin Opera, is a form of traditional entertainment that Jilin has innovated over its short migrant history.
The ethnic Koreans of Jilin have their own distinct culture. See also:
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture,
Culture of Korea.
The
Goguryeo sites and tombs found in
Ji'an, Jilin, including
Wandu,
Guonei, and the
pyramidal
General's Tomb, have been listed as part of a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The
Changbai Mountains, especially
Lake Tianchi on the border with
North Korea, are popular tourist destinations due to their natural scenery.
Ancient Tombs at Longtou Mountain, including the
Mausoleum of Princess Zhenxiao, are royal tombs of the
Balhae Kingdom (Bohai in Chinese) found in
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture.
Professional Sports Teams
*
Chinese Football Association Jia League**
Changchun Yatai**
Yanbian FC*
Chinese Basketball Association**
Jilin Northeast TigersEducation
*
Jilin University (Changchun)
*
Northeast Normal University (Changchun)
*
Chongwen-Kalapp Training School*
The Provincial Government of Jilin*
Large map of Jilin
