Jilin travel guide

Address:

No. 2288 Chongqing Road

Phone:

0432-66518888

Address:

No. 185 Chongqing Road

Phone:

0432-95105105

• 1. Temperature: To see rime ice in Jilin, pay close attention to the weather forecast. Generally, when there is moderate to heavy snow and temperatures are below -20℃, the chance of rime ice is very high. 2. Three stages: Locals enjoy rime ice in three stages: watch the fog at night, see the frost at dawn, and admire the falling blossoms near noon. "Watching the fog at night" means enjoying the misty scene just before the rime ice forms; a band of fog drifts along Songhua Road, and pedestrians seem to stroll through the clouds. "Watching the frost at dawn" means viewing the rime ice itself, which brings to mind the line "Suddenly, one night a spring breeze comes, and a thousand trees bloom with pear blossoms." "Admiring the falling blossoms near noon" means that around midday the frost begins to drop from the branches in the breeze, forming a beautiful curtain of snow along the Songhua River. 3. Best viewing period: November to February.

A long-established local brand that has served several generations of Jilin residents, offering Chinese and Western pastries as well as snacks and quick meals. Recommended: spicy hot pot, mung bean cake and twisted dough sticks, and especially its pastries.

Address:

No. 117 Henan Street, Chuanying District, Jilin City

Phone:

0432-62075555

Be sure to try the Northeastern smoked meat pancake here. The pancake is layered, and the meat includes both fatty and lean cuts. It looks irresistible. The sweet bean sauce here is also excellent.

Address:

Opposite Guomao Building, No. 88 Shanghai Road

Phone:

0432-62487888

A food street favoured by Jilin locals, where you can sample many flavours of delicious cooking at affordable prices.

Deer Antler Three-Treasure Soup is made with deer antler, deer tendon and deer whip as the main ingredients, simmered with superior stock and seasonings.

The Songhua River, and Songhua Lake in particular, is rich in white fish, so restaurants in Jilin City all offer steamed white fish, a local specialty.

Made famous by the live-fish dining street in Qingling Town, Jiaohe City, and known throughout the country.

The Three-Bowl Set Banquet is one of the most representative traditional Manchu feasts. The world-famous Manchu-Han Banquet evolved from it. Made with top-quality local ingredients and prepared using 15 techniques, the banquet includes Manchu specialties such as white meat and blood sausage, golden meat slices, Guandong steamed fish and xiaowotou (small steamed buns).

Pork slices processed through five steps until paper-thin and tender, served with light, crisp blood sausage that is pleasantly tender to bite.

Ginseng is one of the Northeast's Three Treasures. Stewed with an old hen, ginseng chicken soup is said to refresh the mind, sharpen the wits and slow ageing.

Jilin Wusong Hotel sits east of the scenic Longtan Hill and west of the lush, tranquil Songhua River. In winter you can admire snow-covered willows by the river, and in summer the ancient green mountains. Transport is convenient.

Address:

29 Longtan Street

Phone:

0432-63919666

A famous commercial pedestrian street in Jilin City. Whether you want large shopping malls or specialty boutiques, you'll find them here, making it the top choice for shoppers.

Jilin paper-cutting originated with the Manchu people and has a distinctive Northeastern character.

Songhua River scenic stones are found in the Songhua River and feature natural beauty, colour, form and charm, with high collecting and appreciation value.

Jilin hand-painted wood carvings are hand-carved from fine-grained birch wood.

Available in two types: birch bark painting and silver fungus painting. Birch bark paintings use the composition of Chinese landscape painting, with finely carved details and elegant colouring. Silver fungus paintings are made mainly from laoniugan, a local fungus, and their relief sculptures of birds and beasts are lifelike and vivid.

Driftwood from Songhua Lake has been shaped by nature into countless forms, with natural charm and ingenious shapes. Its simple, rustic beauty expresses vigorous life. Jilin City has also set up a Songhua Lake Driftwood Art Research Society.

Made from locally grown gourds, Jilin painted and carved gourds are a distinctive souvenir of the province.