Dunhua

Birthplace of the Balhae Kingdom, where the giant Golden Tripod Buddha at Zhengjue Temple on Liuding Mountain sits near the Balhae tombs and Yanming Lake wetland; a key stop on the northern route to Changbai Mountain.

Dunhua is a county-level city in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, set in the Dunhua Basin at the northern foot of Changbai Mountain with the Mudan River flowing through town. It is known as the "birthplace of the Balhae Kingdom" and the "birthplace of the Qing ancestors." In 698 Dae Jo-yeong founded his state at Mount Dongmou, and the Liudingshan Tombs, Chengshanzi Mountain Fortress, Aodong City and the Twenty-Four Stones of Jiangdong make up a cluster of early Balhae remains. The main attraction is Liuding Mountain (a national 5A-rated scenic area) south of town, where Zhengjue Temple, the Golden Tripod Buddha, the Qing Ancestral Shrine and the ancient tombs can be seen in half a day to a day. Yanming Lake wetland, about 45 km northeast, has lotus blooms in summer and birdwatching in spring and autumn, while Hancong Ridge, about 45 km southwest along National Highway 201, blazes with red leaves in autumn. The climate is temperate monsoon: winters are long and bitter, often below −20°C in January, Jun–Sep is cool and pleasant, and late Sep to early Oct is maple season. Dunhua Station on the Changchun–Hunchun intercity high-speed railway is about 2 hours from Changchun and 40 minutes from Yanji, and the city is also a transfer point for the North Scenic Area of Changbai Mountain and Jingpo Lake. Allow 1–2 days; out-of-town sights require a car or chartered vehicle. Laobaishan Snow Village, about 120 km away, needs a separate overnight stay and is not included in this destination.

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