Changchun

Changchun, meaning ‘long spring’ in Chinese, is the capital of the northeastern province of Jilin and has an urban population of almost 5 million. Founded in 1800, Changchun is a relatively young city by Chinese standards but has nonetheless played an important role in China’s modern history.

History

Changchun first began to develop when it became a stop on Tran-Siberian Railway in 1898. When the Japanese occupied northeastern China, they made Changchun the capital of their puppet state of Manchukuo from 1932 to the end of WWII. Changchun remains an interesting Chinese city thanks to colonial-era Japanese city planning. The Japanese built broad avenues, large public squares and imposing government buildings, including an Imperial Palace modeled on Beijing’s Forbidden City where the puppet emperor Puyi resided. Later damaged by Russian troops, it has since been restored as a museum and was used as a location in the Oscar-winning dramatization of Puyi’s life, The Last Emperor. 

Changchun Today

Present day Changchun is known as the cradle of China’s automotive industry and has the nation’s largest automobile research and development center. Changchun is also a famous film production center in China. In addition to being the home of Changchun Film Studio, the city hosts an international film festival every other year.

Changchun’s universities include two of China’s finest: Jilin University and Northeast Normal University.