Tongjiang

A border town where the Songhua River meets the Heilongjiang (Amur); at Sanjiangkou the two-colored waters run side by side, Hezhe villages at Jiejinkou and Bacha showcase fishing and hunting culture, and Russia lies across the river.

Tongjiang lies in northeastern Heilongjiang Province at the confluence of the Songhua and Heilongjiang (Amur) rivers. A county-level city under Jiamusi, it faces Russia's Jewish Autonomous Oblast across the Amur and is one of the main homes of China's Hezhe (Nanai) people. The city sits right by Sanjiangkou, where the dark northern water and yellow southern water flow side by side, its signature sight. Heading east along the G331 border highway you pass the Tongjiang–Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge, Jiejinkou Hezhe Ethnic Township and Jiejin Mountain Forest Park; about 110 km farther east is Bacha Hezhe Ethnic Township, and beyond that you can continue to Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island at Fuyuan. Jun–Sep is cool, with the best wetland and river views and boat trips on the border river; in late September the hills turn a riot of autumn color; winters drop to -20 to -30°C, and the focus shifts to ice, snow and winter fishing. The Hezhe Wurigong Festival is held every few years, when folk events are most concentrated. Getting there: it is about 2–3 hours by train or long-distance bus from Jiamusi, and Jiamusi Airport is the nearest major airport; sights are spread out, so self-driving or hiring a car is recommended. Allow 1–2 days: one for Sanjiangkou and the city, one for Jiejinkou and the railway bridge. Carry your ID in the border area, and bring protection against the many mosquitoes in summer.

Top sights

• Sanjiangkou Eco-Tourism Area – Where the Songhua and Heilong rivers meet. Waters of north-black and south-yellow flow side by side, and the Zero Kilometer marker shares t…
• Jiejinkou Hezhe Ethnic Cultural Village – “China's First Hezhe Township” on the Heilong River, where you can experience Hezhe fishing and hunting culture, fish-skin painting, and Im…
• Jiejinshan National Forest Park – A low-mountain forest park on the Heilong River, where you can climb for views over the boundary river and Hezhe fishing villages. Autumn b…
• Bacha Hezhe Ethnic Township – A Hezhe township on the lower Heilong River with more unspoiled fishing villages. It's another key place to experience Hezhe fishing and hu…
• Tongjiang–Nizhneleninskoye Railway Bridge – China and Russia's first railway bridge across the Heilong River, opened in 2022. Views of the bridge and the boundary river can be enjoyed…
• Tongjiang Port & Songhua Riverside – Tongjiang's old port area and riverside promenade. In summer, you can take a boundary-river cruise from here and watch the sunset over the…
• Tongjiang Hezhe Culture Center – A Hezhe culture exhibition venue in the city, where you can learn about Imakan, fish-skin craftsmanship, and the history of Hezhe fishing a…

Itineraries

• Eastern Heilongjiang Border: Khanka Lake to the Easternmost Point – A grand self-driving loop starting from Suifenhe, heading north along the China-Russia border to Fuyuan, and returning…