Hulin & Hutou

A small border town on the Ussuri River where the Hutou Fortress and the Memorial Park of the End of WWII stand, and where Russia lies just across the river.

Hulin–Hutou is located in the east of Hulin City, Jixi, Heilongjiang Province. Hutou Town sits on the left bank of the Ussuri River, facing Dalnerechensk in Russia's Primorsky Krai across the river. This is where the Ussuri became the China–Russia boundary river. The area's most important sight is Hutou Fortress, known as the 'Oriental Maginot Line', built by Japanese forces during their invasion of China. On August 26, 1945, Soviet troops captured the fortress, an event regarded as the end of the Second World War. The fortress, the Memorial Park of the End of WWII, the starting point of the Ussuri River and the Guandi Temple together form the Hutou scenic area, rated a national 5A-level attraction.

The best season is June to September, when the river scenery is green and the weather is cool. The Crescent Lake wild lotus flowers bloom from late July to early August, and the mountain forests show their autumn colors from late September to early October. Winter is severely cold, with temperatures of minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius and the river frozen. Winter is only suitable for viewing ice and snow.

The area has two parts. Within Hutou Town, you can walk between the fortress museum, the memorial park, the riverside square, the pier and the Guandi Temple in a day. Crescent Lake, about 18 km to the north, is worth a half day in summer. Zhenbao Island lies north of Hulin City and is covered under the Raohe–Ussuri River area.

Getting there: Hulin City has a railway station and Hulin Airport, which has flights including to Harbin. From Hulin City to Hutou Town is about 60 km, roughly an hour by bus or taxi. Accommodation and restaurants in town are mainly family guesthouses and fish restaurants, so book in advance during peak season. Plan 1–2 days. In border areas, carry your ID card and do not photograph military facilities or border posts.

Top sights

• Hutou Fortress – A fortress built by Japanese forces that invaded China, dubbed the 'Oriental Maginot Line'. The battle that ended here on 26 August 1945 is…
• Memorial Park of World War II Ending Place – A WWII memorial park built on the site of the MengHu Mountain fortress of Hutou. The Monument Square, the Labourers’ Memorial Square and th…
• Ussuri River Starting Point – A monument and square on the Hutou riverbank marking the starting point of the Ussuri River. Across the water is a Russian town, making it…
• Hutou Guandi Temple – A frontier Guandi Temple first built during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty. Known as the “First Temple of the East,” it is one of…
• Hutou Wharf Ussuri River Cruise – Take a boat from Hutou Wharf along the Ussuri River to see the river islands and the Russian bank up close.
• Yueya Lake – A crescent-shaped oxbow lake on the Ussuri River, said to be the largest wild lotus gathering in the cold zone. In midsummer the whole lake…