National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | National Park of China (second batch) AAAAA tourist attraction |
| Province | Jilin |
| Location | Changchun, Jilin |
| Latitude, longitude | 43.8, 125.5 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Historic buildings |
| Area | 150 km² |
| Nearby cities | Harbin, Jilin City |
| Nearby sites | Songhua Lake, Sun Island, Mukden Palace, Shenyang, Jingpo Lake, Heaven Lake of Changbai Mountain |
| Themes | Culture & history, Lakes, Forests, Architecture, Cities |
Jingyue Lake
Jingyue Lake lies in the Jingyue High-tech Development Zone, 12 km from the centre of Changchun, an area of about 80 km² in four parts: the hills north of the lake, the forest to the south, the waters of the lake and the villages to the east. It has China’s largest man-made forest, 8,000 hectares planted decades ago.
It is in the second batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1988.
Travel tips
Getting there: both sites are in Changchun. The Puppet Imperial Palace and the former eight ministries site are in the city centre, reached by bus or metro; Jingyuetan is in the southeast suburbs, served by light rail and buses. Changchun Longjia Airport and Changchun station are the main entry points.
Puppet Imperial Palace: it is now a museum. You see the palace buildings and exhibitions, and half a day is enough.
Former ministry buildings: they lie along Xinmin Street, several old buildings strung along the road, now used by hospitals, schools and other organisations. Most can only be seen from outside.
Jingyuetan: forest paths run around the lake for walking or cycling, and a full circuit takes half a day. The forest around the lake is one of the larger plantation forests in China.
Winter: Jingyuetan offers snow activities and good snow scenery, but the temperature is very low, so bring warm clothing.
Time: the palace and the ministry sites take a day, and Jingyuetan a second day.
Season: summer has the best vegetation and is cool in the woods, good for forest paths. Autumn leaves change colour, and winter has heavy snow.
The Eight Ministries
The “Eight Ministries” in central Changchun are the historic buildings of the puppet state of Manchukuo: the palace of the puppet emperor, the State Council and its eight ministries.