Xinmin Avenue & Eight Ministries of Manchukuo
新民大街
An official avenue planned in the Manchukuo era. The former sites of the 'Eight Ministries' now mostly house Jilin University buildings, making it Changchun's most representative modern architectural street.
Xinmin Avenue runs about 1.4 kilometers from Culture Square in the north to Nanhu in the south. It was the central government district planned for Xinjing, the capital of Manchukuo. Along it stand the former sites of the Manchukuo ministries, known as the 'Eight Ministries,' including the State Council, the Ministries of Justice, Military and Economy. The buildings are mostly in the 'Xingya' style, combining Western-style structures with Japanese or Chinese large roofs. Most are now used by the Norman Bethune Medical Department of Jilin University and its affiliated hospital. The exteriors can be visited freely, though some buildings restrict entry. Dense trees line both sides of the street, making it the best stretch in Changchun for a citywalk. At the north end, the Geology Palace in Culture Square is impressive. It was originally planned as the site of a new Manchukuo palace and now houses the Jilin University Geology Museum. Admission is free. Walking from Culture Square south to Nanhu Park takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.
Opening hours
All day (exterior viewing only)
Nearby sights
- Guilin Road Food Street
- Culture Square & Geology Palace
- Hongqi Street
- People's Square (Changchun)
- Nanhu (South Lake) Park
- Changchun Film Studio Museum
- Bore (Prajna) Temple
- Changchun Zoological and Botanical Park