Seething Ice Snow World

New Year on the train

I usually spend my New Year in the train. Last New Year, I was on the train to Harbin, and this year, I went to Jilin for celebrate my 2006 New Year.

As in winter, I really want to stay in the coldest and ice-snow places, like northeast and Inner Mongolia in China. It was a nice way to me to see the wonderful winter in my hometown. I love enjoying myself, skating and skiing in winter. Harbin is a amazing city for me, besides, it was like a Russian city. And this time, Changchun and Jilin were in my list. The most important thing for me is seeing Wusong by my own eyes.

The northeast is a hot tourist places in winter. I only got a hard seat ticket from Beijing to Changchun, and it was an overnight train, about 140RMB. I can stand it, because I was young and strong enough. I checked my map and read novel in the train, and when the clock showed 0:00, it meant that I was in 2006, my New Year arrived.

No green in spring city

I arrived Changchun in the early morning on 1st Jan 2006, and the whole city was still in dream. It was really cold for me, because I lived in Beijing for a long time, and it wasn’t cold in winter for me. I didn’t want to stay in Changchan in this night. So I went to a hotel, and used their washroom for tidy myself. Washed my face and teeth brushing……

I took a taxi to my first destination---Puppet Emperor’s Palace. But it wasn’t opened when I arrived, so early. It was Sunday, So I decided to go to a church first, it lay at the side of Xiwu Road. So huge one I have seen. It can contain 2000 persons worship in the same time. I prayed with them, and read Bible until 8:30, then I took some pictures with the church, and some brothers and sisters, they gave me a late Christmas gift. I felt very warm and their in the cold air.

I went to the Puppet Emperor’s Palace again, and now, it was opened. The whole building was under snow, this was a place for the last emperor Puyi. Here is some information of Puyi and this palace from internet:

“The story of Puyi, the last emperor of China, is a sad tale of political intrigue, a story that was played out in one of China's most volatile periods of history. Puyi, manipulated from cradle to grave, was the last of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) line, given power by the devious Empress Dowager Cixi. He ascended the throne at the age of eight.

His mettle as a true emperor was never to be tested however, as the 1911 Republican Revolution, led by the revered Sun Zhongshan, removed the child-emperor from his post in the same year as his coronation. After remaining in the Forbidden City for some years, living the life of a breathing relic, he was expelled by the Nationalist Party for his less than revolutionary past. Given "immunity" by the Japanese, the young child was moved to his new residence in Jilin Province.

From 1932 to 1945, Puyi was resident, more or less involuntarily, in the Puppet Emperor's Palace .He stayed here as nominal head of the newly established state of Manchukuo, established as a way for the Japanese to try to legitimize their claim to the territory of northeastern China, and then the rest of the country.

His residence here came to an end with the Communist victory, when the emperor was arrested and sentenced to reform and re-education in the communist style, even being exiled to the Soviet Union for a time. Puyi ended his sad life as a gardener, probably happy for once to be beholden to few men.

Like the life of the protagonist himself, the remains of the palace today are of decaying sadness. The gardens and courtyards are all fairly badly maintained. The palace is located in the northeastern corner of Changchun, and was not only an open prison for the young Puyi, but also the site of the "central government" of the Manchukuo state. Today the palace serves as a museum, wax works and testament to the evils perpetrated by the Japanese in their long reign in the north of China.

The palace itself is a miniature of the emperor's exiled home, the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is a complex composed of several buildings in a variety of taste and style, including architecture of Chinese, Japanese, and European form. The palace can be divided into two parts: the front palace for administrative purposes and the rear palace for residence. The largest and most impressive of the buildings, the Tonde Palace was not lived in by the emperor since he believed it to be bugged. The best of the blocks is the Qin Ming Building which houses the throne, a variety of gimmicky wax models of Puyi, one of his wives and others, and documents of his life, from stately childhood to Japanese pawn.

The rear palace gives visitors a glimpse of the grandness that was the facade of life here: a swimming pool, a tennis court, a few gardens, courtyards and even a bomb shelter, are the accoutrements of the emperors empty life (a life that is chronicled within, on diary pages that are attached to the wall). There are also exhibitions here to the atrocities that the Japanese manufactured in their inhumane reign in northeast China. This is struck home with images of the war, including those concerning the Japanese armies Unit 731 Germ Warfare Experimental Base, and various torture equipment. The captions here are in Chinese, although most of the pictures speak for themselves.”

Every city has its own style, because the reason for history, Changchun was filled with Japanese, especially the architectures. You can see many Japanese architectures in the city, like the Police Station, the government, the Post Office, the hospital, the university……I walked along with the cold air, and enjoyed the snow city. In Chinese, the name Changchun means long spring, it should be full of green, but not in winter.

Renmin Square is a transfer place, because that you can go anywhere from the square. I took a bus to Jingyuetan Forest Park for skiing. It was a relax city, and so less person in the street. There was a huge lake in the park, of course it was frozen in winter. About more than 55% size were covered by forest in this park. I got on the tourist bus to the skiing resort. Our bus ran trough the forest, and at the side of the lake. Tough there was no green, no birds singing, but the white snow, transparent ice and the cloud-kissing trees were enough for me.

I got off the bus, and skied only one hour, it was a little difficult to me to ski with so many persons. I walked in the forest and enjoyed the sounds like cheep. There were snow sculptures around me, like many kinds of animals. Some persons took a dog-vehicle or horse-vehicle instead of walking.

There was a skiing game in the park, and it was over when I arrived there. And also saw many foreigners around this area, most of them came from the north Europe and Russia. The snow sculptures were special, the biggest Santa Claus, Snow Coffee House, Snow WC, LOL~~~~~~So cute.

I leaved there with my deeply feeling, and returned the downtown. I had to arrive the city Jilin tonight, and only had time to walk around the city, like Culture Square and Changjiang Foot Street. I got my ticket to the city Jilin, only 1.5 hour. Then, I arrived there in the night.

I took a taxi to my hotel called Angel Hotel near Songhua River, and got a warm room for rest. I hope I can see Wusong in the morning on 2nd day.

Fabulous City

I felt very cold now, and went out for my supper, even I didn’t eat anything in the whole day, that is my 1st Jan. 2006, a hungry day. I ordered a Dongbei Cai in a restaurant near my hotel, and ate the bones and drank the soap myself. Actually, I didn’t eat real Dongbei Cai for a long time.

The city Jilin was named the same to the province, and it was a Manchurian name, means “city along the river”. The river was called Songhua jiang, and Manchurian, Korean and Mongolian lived in this small city. You can taste many kinds of food, that’s my favorite.

The most famous scenery of Jilin is Wusong. It didn’t come out or happen everyday, only need a lowest temperature, clear day. The Songhua River wasn’t frozen in this city, because a water power plant at the original. It made lot of heat, and fog will be on the surface of the river. When the fog rising, and met the cold trees at the side of river, when they kissing, YEAH!!! Wusong was born in that time. I walked along the river side, and there were fireworks in the city because of the New Year. A beautiful catholic church at the river side, it was a perfect group---River, Fireworks, Snow and Church. I hope I was lucky to see the incredible scenery in the only day I was here.

I slept very well in the warm room, and got up earlier. The first thing for me, opening the windows. AH, HA!!! I was so lucky, and there was Wusong in a tree near my hotel. I was sure it will be full at the river side. I ate my breakfast as quickly as I can, and then went out for seeing.

Amazing!!! Fabulous!!! Fantastic!!! Splendid!!! Wonderful!!! I don’t know how to describe this scenery. The whole world was white, only white. Fog was rising from the river, and sun was gleamingly behind the hazy sky. It was lower than –20 degree, my camera didn’t work in sometimes. Luckily, I took two cameras, so clever. I didn’t remember how many photos I took. The tourists were very less, and it seemed my own world. I remembered Snow Princess at that time.

Wusong had a short life, and when the sun smiled in the sky, it died away. I felt sad when I leave for Beishan Park. The beautiful thing is usually ephemeral.

Beishan Park was a huge one with low mountains, and it was also a Buddha Park. There was traditional northeast dancing---Da Yang Ge. I climbed the mountain with snow under my feet. I didn’t go to visit that Buddha temple, you need pay for everyone, though it was only 2---5 Yuan. Actually, I only saw some gloriettes in the park, and overlooked the city for the top of the mountain.

So hungry now! I just found a Manchurian hot-pot restaurant near Jiefang Road. How can I eat hot-pot myself? But I really wanted to taste my own food. Then I decided to eat it myself.
“How many persons?” the waiter asked me.
“Only one!” I answered dubitable.
“Are you sure only yourself?” the girl looked the outside if someone followed me.
“Yes, I am sure.” I said with confidence.
Then all the guests saw me, including the host. They can’t believe I traveled myself.
“OK! Give him the less one ” the host came out for service.
“That’s good! How much of that?” I felt very happy that I can eat it myself.
“38 Yuan!”
All the dished were served when I viewed my pictures. Oh, my god! Including mutton, beef, pork, bones, fishes, many kinds of vegetable, some snacks, bean curd, noodles……
My eyes were opened wildly,
“Is it the least one?” I surprised.
“Yes! Not enough? I can supply a roast gigot for you freely.” The host smiled.
“NO!!! I think it is enough for me!”
I enjoyed the delicious food myself, and ate too much of them. I also drunk the cold beer……

I need a slowly and relax walking, and then I visited nearly the whole city, I also saw Chairman Mao in Century Park, and chatted with some sisters in the church.

The city was called North River City, and the symbol of that city is Boatman. There was a sculpture in Jiangcheng Square. The downtown was in the north of Songhua River. I spent my left time in a supermarket and a internet coffee.

Leaving is a sad thing for me, and had a deep impress of the small city, and still lucky to see Wusong in the morning. I also had hard seat for return. But most persons got off in the city Changchun, then I slept in three seats. Not very comfortable, but better than the hard seat.