Changchun is located the central part of Songliao Plain, covering a total area of 20,571 square kilometers (about 8,012 square miles). Being the capital city of Jilin Province, Changchun is the political, economic and cultural center. It is a Chinese version of a combination of Detroit and Hollywood. It has China's largest motor vehicle plant and its biggest film studio.
Changchun, meaning "eternal spring", was first settled about 1,000 years ago. But it did not develop much until the turn of this century. The city grew enormously in the 1930s after it was made the capital of the Japanese puppet state, Manchukuo, during the Japanese military occupation of the area (1930--1945). In 1931 Japan invaded and occupied entire northeast part of China, which can be considered the prelude of Chinese Anti-Japanese War. Obviously Changchun became a colony of Japanese imperialists. On March 1, 1932, Puyi, the last emperor of China, set up Manchukuo in Changchun supported by Japanese invaders, taking Changchun as the capital. From then on brutal rule of Japanese upon Chinese people had begun. After a long time of struggle and resistance, finally Changchun broke off the ruthless rule, stepping into a bright and splendid future.
Woods, forest, city interweave together to show you a distinctive characteristic of Changchun. 39% of Changchun ground has been clothed with green age, which makes Changchun one of top cities in this aspect. Green plants in and around Changchun make the city become a big oxygen bar, providing people to enjoy real fresh air. Spring is dry and windy; summer is wet and rainy; autumn is sunny and cool; winter is cold. Generally speaking rain and heat come in the same season. Besides, favorable climate and enough sunshine provide very good condition for the growth of crops. Changchun teems with corn and soybean; so it is praised as barn.
The natural sceneries of Changchun lie in lakes and forests. Nanhu Park (South Lake Park) and Jingyuetan National Forest Park are good places for you to enjoy the pleasure given by nature. Especially in winter the whole Changchun city will give you a real enjoyment of genuine winter. Furthermore, there are colonial vestiges, such as Puppet Emperor's Palace, Badabu. The major historical site you can visit is the imperial palace of China's last emperor. It is nothing like the imperial palaces in Beijing or Shenyang. It is comprised mostly of simple houses with crude lay-outs, reflecting the hasty establishment of the Japanese puppet state, headed by Puyi, China's last emperor. Besides, Changchun is also characterized as the automobile city and film city. It has made great contributions to the history of automobile manufacturing industry in China, and the first film production base in China - the famous Changchun Film Studio, which was named as Dongbei Film Studio originally, is also located in Changchun. If you are interested in how cars and trucks are made in China, then you can visit the No. 1 Automobile Plant. If film-making interests you, you can arrange a tour of the Changchun Film Studio, the same way you visit the Universal Studio at Hollywood.
The related tourist facilities in Changchun are also in a quick development. Nowadays there are more than 30 star-rated hotels in Changchun, among which three hotels are five-star rated. There are 51 trains begin or pass by Changchun Railway Station everyday, more than thirty domestic airlines and four international lines of Changchun Longjia International Airport provide you much convenience of transportation, and four main speedways have connected Changchun with many parts of China. At present there are four special tourist trains having been in use, Changchun to Xianghai (for watching lovely birds), Changchun to Changbai Mountain (for enjoying Heavenly Lake), Changchun to Jilin (for tasting real ice and snow) and Changchun to Hunchun (for feel exotic flavor of Russia). Nightlife of Changchun is not as colorful and romantic as that of other big cities in China, however, it has its own distinctive flavor which can be only known after you taste it in person. Various kinds of pubs, coffee bars, teahouses and other amusement centers must make you feel at ease.