Yanbian (延边朝鲜族自治州; Yánbiān Cháoxiǎnzú Zìzhìzhōu; Korean: 연변조선족자치주 Yeonbyeon Joseonjok Jachiju) is an autonomous prefecture in Jilin province of China, next to the border with North Korea and Russia. It is home to the largest ethnic Korean community outside Korea.

Cities

Yanbian in China

• 1 Yanji (延吉, 연길) - The capital city
• 2 Dunhua (敦化, 돈화)
• 3 Helong (和龙, 화룡)
• 4 Hunchun (珲春, 훈춘) - Joint City from China to North Korea and Russia
• 5 Longjing (龙井, 룡정)
• 6 Tumen (图们, 도문) - A small city on the Tumen river with a bridge crossing the river into Namyang, North Korea

Other destinations

• Antu County (安图县, 안도현) - A city on the Changbai Mountain footage
• Wangqing County (汪清县, 왕청현)

Understand

Over 2 million ethnic Koreans live in China, and this area has a large concentration of them. While there are some expatriates from North and South Korea, most of the ethnic Koreans here hold Chinese citizenship.

Yanbian has five national nature reserves and eight provincial nature reserves, with a forest coverage rate of 80.8%. It is known for producing "the northeast sambo": ginseng, deer antlers, and mink fur, with the highest production of ginseng and deer antlers in the world. Yanbian is also the largest production base for apple pears globally. Additionally, it is the only Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China and the largest settlement area for ethnic Koreans, benefiting from the national Western Development policy, being one of the three prefecture-level administrative regions that enjoy these related policies.

Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is located in the eastern part of Jilin Province. It lies at the crossroads of China, North Korea, and Russia, facing the Sea of Japan. To the east, it borders Russia's Primorsky Krai; to the south, it faces North Korea's North Hamgyong and Ryanggang Provinces across the Tumen River; to the west, it adjoins Jilin City and Baishan City; and to the north, it connects with Mudanjiang City in Heilongjiang Province. The prefecture contains five border counties (cities) and 642 border villages.

History

Yanbian has a long history. According to excavated artifacts from the Neolithic Age and historical records dating back 2,000 years, the Chinese Sushin tribe flourished on this land as early as the Neolithic period.

In 1714, the Qing government established the Hunchun Collaterals, which included 15 outposts under the jurisdiction of the Ningguta sub-commander. The following year, a government office was built north of the Hunchun River, marking the beginning of the city’s development.

In 1859, the Hunchun deputy chief was promoted to the rank of deputy capital, and in 1881, the Hunchun deputy capital was expanded to govern most of Yanbian. The first vice president of Yiktang continued the city’s development in Hunchun, initially focusing on what is now Jinghe Street, commonly known as the old city. In the same year, the Jilin Border Affairs Supervisor and the Hunchun Reclamation Bureau were established to open up barren lands.

In 1909, Hunchun Hall was set up to govern the land east of the Mijiang River, with its seat still located in Hunchun.

Following the First Sino-Japanese War, Japan occupied Korea and used it as a springboard for aggressive activities in the Yanbian region of China.

In 1907, under the pretext of “protecting Koreans,” the Japanese Empire sent troops to invade Yongjeong, a town under the jurisdiction of the Yanji Office with a large concentration of Koreans. They established the so-called “Temporary Mashima Police Station of the Chosun Unification Office” to carry out espionage activities.

On September 4, 1909, the Qing government signed the Tumen River Sino-Korean Boundary Provisions with Japan, reaffirming the Tumen River as the traditional border between China and Korea. The agreement also allowed the Qing government to open four locations—Longjing Village, Bazijie, Toudougou, and Baichaogou—as commercial ports. Koreans in the Yanji area were placed under Chinese local administration.

Two months after the signing, Japan withdrew its civil and military personnel from the Office of the Commissioner and established a consulate in the newly opened commercial ports. Subsequently, to strengthen the administration of the Yanbian area, the Qing government upgraded the Yanji Office on Bureau Street to “Yanji Province.”

In 1913, Yanji Prefecture was renamed Yanji County.

On September 18, 1931, the Japanese Empire launched a war against northeastern China, leading to the region falling under Japanese puppet rule. During this period, Yanji was renamed “Mashima City” and became the capital of the puppet “Mashima Province.”

On August 18, 1945, the Soviet Red Army and the Yanbian detachment of the Northeastern Anti-Japanese Allied Army entered Yanji, leading to the collapse of the military and political organs of the puppet Mashima Province, and Yanbian was liberated. On August 20, the Mashima Provisional Government was established. In late September, the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee set up the Jiho District Administrative Committee, which governed five areas, including Yanbian. Each area established an administrative inspector’s office.

On September 3, 1952, the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region was established, marking an important step in recognizing the cultural and administrative autonomy of the Korean ethnic community in the area.

In 1955, the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region was abolished and replaced by the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture.

Location

The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is in eastern Jilin Province, at the junction of China, North Korea, and Russia. It faces the Sea of Japan and borders Russia’s Primorsky Krai to the east. To the south, it is separated from North Korea’s Hamgyeong and Ryanggang provinces by the Tumen River, while to the west, it is bordered by the cities of Jilin and Baishan. In the north, it shares a border with Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang Province.

Climate

The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture experiences a humid monsoon climate. Spring is dry and windy, summer is warm and rainy, autumn is cool and rainy, and winter is long and cold. East of Panling, in the lower reaches of the Tumen River and the middle and lower reaches of the Hunchun River, the area is influenced by the maritime climate of the Sea of Japan, with varied weather patterns: windy springs, rainy and cloudy summers, and relatively milder winters.

Yanbian
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       5.4     −7 −19       5.5     −2 −15       9.9     6 −8       29     15 0       59     21 7       82     24 13       129     27 17       109     27 17       61     22 10       24     15 1       12     4 −8       6.7     −4 −16 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm http://nmc.cn/publish/forecast/AJL/yanji.html China meteorological administration
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       0.2     20 −2       0.2     29 5       0.4     42 18       1.2     60 33       2.3     70 45       3.2     76 56       5.1     80 63       4.3     81 63       2.4     72 49       0.9     59 33       0.5     39 18       0.3     24 4 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Talk

Korean is an official language in this area, along with Mandarin Chinese, due to the large number of ethnic Koreans. Officially, Korean is known here as 조선어 Joseon-eo (or in Chinese 朝鲜语Cháoxiǎn yǔ), like in North Korea, rather than 한국어 Hanguk-eo as is in South Korea. The dialect of Korean spoken here is Hamgyong, which is also spoken in Hamgyong province in North Korea, and is slightly different from the Seoul dialect which is standard in South Korea, or the Pyongan dialect which is standard in North Korea. Most younger ethnic Koreans in this area are bilingual in Korean and Mandarin, so Mandarin speakers should not have any problems communicating.

All official signs and most restaurant menus in the area are in both Korean and Mandarin. Due to differences in the way Chinese place names are translated, the cities in Yanbian have local Korean names that are different from the ones used by South Koreans; see the Korean phrasebook for more details. As an example, Yanji, the largest city in the prefecture is called Yeon-gil (연길) by the local ethnic Koreans, but Yenji (옌지) by South Koreans. Unless otherwise stated, the Korean names listed on Wikivoyage follow the local Chinese-Korean usage.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Yanji Chaoyangchuan International Airport (延吉朝阳川国际机场 연길조양천국제공항 YNJ ^IATA). It is around 6 km from the city center. Flights to the airport come from dozens of domestic destinations, such as Changchun, Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Qingdao, Yantai, Dalian and a couple of international destinations in South Korea. (updated Nov 2024)

By train

• 2 Yanji Railway Station (延吉站 연길역). It is a second-class station on the Changtu Railway, originally built in 1924. (updated Nov 2024)

• 3 Yanjixi Railway Station (延吉西站 연길서역). This station, in Chaoyangchuan Town, is the largest high-speed railway station in Yanbian Prefecture on the Changchun-Hunchun Intercity Railway. (updated Nov 2024)

By bus

There are a total of five bus stations in Yanbian, which are Public Railway Separation Station, Northeast Asia Passenger Terminal, North Passenger Terminal and West City Passenger Terminal. Among these, Public Railway Separation Station and Northeast Asia Passenger Terminal have the highest passenger flow, with daily buses departing for various parts of Northeast China and Beijing. These stations also serve as departure points for nearby attractions such as Tumen and Changbai Mountain.

There are five daily buses from Yanji to Erdaobaihe, located at the foot of Changbai Mountain, departing at 06:30, 10:10, 12:20, 13:20, and 14:30. The fare is ¥33.

The journey from Yanji to Tumen takes approximately an hour and a half, with a fare of around ¥6.5. The trip from Yanji to Hunchun takes about two hours, costing around ¥16, and the travel time from Yanji to Wangqing is also about two hours, with a fare of around ¥9.

Get around

Yanbian’s public transportation system is relatively well-developed, particularly in cities like Yanji, where bus routes cover most major attractions and residential areas. Buses are generally punctual and convenient, making it easy for tourists to visit key attractions and shopping centers. Additionally, the city offers shared bicycles, facilitating short-distance travel and last-mile connections. Many locals use ride-hailing apps such as Didi, and tourists can easily request rides through the English versions of Alipay or WeChat for seamless payment.

When communicating with taxi drivers and pedestrians in Yanbian, it is not advisable to expect them to speak English. Yanbian is a multicultural region where the main languages are Korean and Chinese. For foreign visitors, learning some basic Chinese or Korean phrases can be beneficial. As foreigners without a background in Chinese may struggle with correctly pronouncing place names, it is recommended to print out the destination in Chinese or Korean before heading out or to have hotel front desk staff write it down. Indicating nearby intersections or directions when going to a specific location can also be helpful. Showing this information to drivers or asking for assistance on the street will make communication smoother. Generally, speaking to younger people increases the likelihood of receiving help in English.

Crossing the street in Yanbian requires pedestrians to exercise caution. Do not assume that vehicles will yield, even if a traffic officer is present, so it is essential to remain vigilant and observe your surroundings. Although crosswalks exist, drivers may sometimes ignore pedestrian right-of-way. Local drivers frequently use their horns, and conflicts with pedestrians when turning are possible. If you hear a horn while crossing, it is advisable to stop and assess your surroundings before proceeding. If multiple vehicles and bicycles approach from different directions, staying calm and remaining still is often the safest option, as stationary pedestrians are easier for drivers and cyclists to avoid. At traffic light intersections, only cross when the light is green, and crossing with a group increases the likelihood that vehicles will stop or slow down.

By bus

Yanji Public Railway Separation Station: Located at Zhanqian Street, Yanji City. Accessible by buses 2, 5, 6, 24, 27, etc.

Yanji Northeast Asia Passenger Terminal: Located at 2319 Changbaishan West Road, Yanji City. Accessible by buses 5, 6, 24, 27, 32, 41, etc.

Yanji North Passenger Station: Located at 781 Aidan Road, Yanji City. Accessible by buses 1, 11, 15, 28, 40, etc.

Yanji Railway Station: Located at Zhanqian Street, Yanji City. Accessible by buses 2, 5, 6, 24, 27, etc.

To reach the city center from the airport, you can take buses 18, 28, or 44.

See

• 1 Changbai Mountain Northern Scenic Area. Located in southeastern Jilin Province, famous for its majestic Heavenly Lake and natural beauty. It is one of the most popular tourist regions, known for its convenient access and rich natural landscapes. The famous Heavenly Lake, surrounded by magnificent mountains and often shrouded in mist, adds a touch of mystery. Additionally, the area features the impressive Changbai Waterfall and dense virgin forests, making it an ideal spot for experiencing natural wonders and photography. 
• 2 Yanbian Museum. A museum showcasing the history and culture of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. It is dedicated to the culture and history of the Korean ethnic minority in China. The museum contains over 10,000 exhibits, including 11 first-level artifacts. The exhibits' labels and explanations are bilingual in Korean and Chinese. 
• 3 Ma'ershan National Forest Park. A great spot for hiking and enjoying natural scenery. It is a popular tourist destination known for its dense forests and natural beauty. The park is rich in vegetation and offers fresh air, making it an excellent spot for hiking, climbing, and enjoying nature. Visitors can explore the scenic trails and experience the tranquility of the natural environment, making it an ideal place for relaxation and connecting with nature. 
• 4 Liuding Mountain Cultural Tourism Area. A tourist area that blends natural landscapes with historical and cultural heritage. It is a tourist destination that blends natural scenery with historical and cultural heritage. It is renowned for the majestic views of Liuding Mountain and the rich Korean cultural legacy. Visitors can enjoy the stunning mountain landscapes, explore historical sites, and experience the unique ethnic customs, making it an ideal place for relaxation and cultural exploration. 
• 5 Fangchuan Scenic Area. A border scenic spot where visitors can view China, North Korea, and Russia. Fangchuan scenic spot is a renowned tourist destination known for its unique geographical location and stunning natural scenery. It is the only place in China where visitors can simultaneously view China, North Korea, and Russia. The area boasts beautiful rivers, dense forests, and rich historical and cultural elements, making it an ideal spot for experiencing borderland charm and natural beauty. 
• 6 Chinese Chaoxianzu (Korean) Folk-custom Garden. An ideal place to experience Korean ethnic culture. The Korean Folk-custom Garden, is a cultural destination rich in ethnic charm. Here, you can immerse yourself in traditional Korean culture, savor authentic Korean cuisine, visit century-old houses, and experience the unique ambiance of traditional guesthouses. The park also features a sports and performance area where visitors can enjoy captivating ethnic performances and even participate, experiencing the vibrant lifestyle of the Korean people. Whether you’re looking to explore history or try something new, this is an unmissable spot that lets you fully appreciate the cultural allure of the Korean community. 
• 7 Erdaobaihe Town. A gateway to the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, known for its natural scenery and cultural charm. Erdaobaihe Town, named for its location along the banks of the Erdaobaihe River, is a charming tourist town nestled at the foot of Changbai Mountain. Built alongside the river, it offers a peaceful and leisurely atmosphere. When the mountain breeze sweeps through the town, it becomes gentle and cool, encouraging visitors to slow down and savor the tranquil moments. The town is quiet and harmonious, free from the hustle and bustle of the city and unaffected by smog, making it an ideal place for relaxation and contemplation. Together with Changbai Mountain, it forms a unique calling card to the world. Erdaobaihe Town is an ideal destination for experiencing the natural beauty of Changbai Mountain and the culture of the Korean ethnic group, drawing numerous tourists for sightseeing and leisure. As the gateway to the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, it is approximately 35 kilometers from the mountain’s core scenic area. A river meanders through the town, with expansive natural parks built along its banks. Outside the residential area, there is the Northeast Asia Botanical Garden, a haven for plant lovers. Walking along the wooden pathways, visitors can observe a variety of plants, each marked with detailed nameplates. 

Do

• Modemore Ski Slopes, located in Yilan Town, are open from November 27 to March 6 of the following year. It is a popular winter sports destination for skiing enthusiasts. The resort features a variety of ski slopes with different difficulty levels, catering to both beginners and professional skiers. The well-equipped facilities include rental equipment, dining services, and ski instructors, ensuring visitors a safe and comfortable skiing experience.

Skiing Precautions:

1. Make sure to wear appropriate skiing gear, including ski clothing, helmets, and goggles.
2. Warm up thoroughly before skiing to reduce the risk of injury.
3. Follow the safety rules of the ski resort and avoid speeding or risky maneuvers.
4. For beginners, it is recommended to take ski lessons or have an instructor’s guidance.
5. Stay alert while skiing, avoid other skiers, and maintain a safe distance.

Eat

Yanji Water Market: Yanji Water Market, located in Yanji City, is one of the largest morning markets in the area. The market is situated along the Yanji River and primarily offers various Korean ethnic specialties, such as rice cakes, kimchi, blood sausage, and rice wine, exuding a vibrant local atmosphere. The market operates daily from 5:00 AM to 8:30 AM, attracting numerous local residents and tourists who come to taste the food and purchase fresh ingredients. Here, you can experience the most authentic Korean flavors and appreciate the unique cultural charm of Yanji City.

Respect

Despite being Chinese citizens, the ethnic Koreans in China share a common culture with their North and South Korean counterparts. The various respect tips in the South Korea article generally apply to the ethnic Koreans in China as well. However, they are generally proud of being Chinese citizens, and do not identify as North or South Korean nationals.