Changchun (simplified Chinese: 长春; traditional Chinese: 長春; pinyin: Chángchūn) is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, and is located in the northeast of China.[4] Lying in the center of the Songliao Plain, Changchun is administered as a sub-provincial city, comprising 7 districts, 1 county and 2 county-level cities.[5] According to the 2010 census of China, Changchun had a total population of 7,674,439 under its jurisdiction. The citys urbanized (or metro) area, comprising 5 districts and 4 development areas, had a population of 3,815,270 in 2010 as the Shuangyang and Jiutai districts are not urbanized yet.[2]
The name of the city means "long spring" in Chinese. Between 1932 and 1945, Changchun was renamed Hsinking (Chinese: 新京; pinyin: Xīnjīng; literally: "new capital") by the Japanese as it became the capital of the Japanese puppet state Manchukuo, occupying modern Northeast China. After the foundation of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, Changchun was established as the provincial capital of Jilin in 1954.
Known locally as Chinas "City of Automobiles",[6] Changchun is an important industrial base with a particular focus on the automotive sector.[7] Because of its key role in the domestic automobile industry, Changchun was sometimes referred to as the "Detroit of China."[8] Apart from this industrial aspect, Changchun is also one of four "National Garden Cities" awarded by the Ministry of Construction of P.R. China in 2001 due to its high urban greening rate.[6][not in citation given]
Contents [hide]
1History
1.1Early history
1.2Railway era
1.3City planning and development from 1906–1931
1.4Manchukuo and World War II
1.4.1Construction of Hsinking
1.4.2Japanese chemical warfare agents
1.5Siege of Changchun
1.6Peoples Republic
2Geography
2.1Climate
3Administrative divisions
4Demographics
4.1Ethnic groups
5Economy
5.1Development zones
5.1.1Changchun Automotive Economic Trade and Development Zone
5.1.2Changchun High Technology Development Zone
5.1.3Changchun Economic and Technological Development Zone
6Infrastructure
6.1Railways
6.2Road network
6.3Air
7Military
8Education
8.1Universities and colleges
8.2Middle schools
8.3Primary and secondary schools
9Sports and stadiums
10Film
11People
12See also
13References
13.1Citations
13.2Sources
14External links
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
Changchun was initially established on imperial decree as a small trading post and frontier village during the reign of the Jiaqing Emperor in the Qing dynasty. Trading activities mainly involved furs and other natural products during this period. In 1800, the Jiaqing Emperor selected a small village on the east bank of the Yitong River and named it "Changchun Ting".[9]
At the end of 18th century peasants from overpopulated provinces such as Shandong and Hebei began to settle in the region. In 1889, the village was promoted into a city known as "Changchun Fu".[10]
Railway era[edit]
In May 1898, Changchun got its first railway station, located in Kuancheng, part of the railway from Harbin to Lüshun (the southern branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway), constructed by the Russian Empire.[11]
The South Manchuria Railway office of Changchun
After Russias loss of the southernmost section of this branch as a result of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, the Kuancheng station (Kuanchengtze, in contemporary spelling) became the last Russian station on this branch.[11] The next station just a short distance to the south—the new "Japanese" Changchun station—became the first station of the South Manchuria Railway,[12] which now owned all the tracks running farther south, to Lüshun, which they re-gauged to the standard gauge (after a short period of using the narrow Japanese 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge during the war).[13]
A special Russo-Japanese agreement of 1907 provided that Russian gauge tracks would continue from the "Russian" Kuancheng Station to the "Japanese" Changchun Station, and vice versa, tracks on the "gauge adapted by the South Manchuria Railway" (i.e. the standard gauge) would continue from Changchun Station to Kuancheng Station.[12]
An epidemic of pneumonic plague occurred in surrounding Manchuria from 1910 to 1911.[14] It was the worst-ever recorded outbreak of pneumonic plague which was spread through the Trans-Manchurian railway from the border trade port of Manzhouli.[15] This turned out to be the beginning of the large pneumonic plague pandemic of Manchuria and Mongolia which ultimately claimed 60,000 victims.[16]
City planning and development from 1906–1931[edit]
City planning map of Changchun
The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 and saw the transfer and assignment to Japan in 1906 the railway between Changchun and Port Arthur, and all the branches.[17]
Having realized the strategic importance of Changchuns location with respect to Japan, China and Russia, the Japanese Government sent a group of planners and engineers to Changchun to determine the best site for a new railway station.
Without the consent of Chinese Government, Japan purchased and seized land from local farmers on which the Changchun Railway Station was to be constructed as the centre of the South Manchuria Railway Affiliated Areas (SMRAA).[18] In order to turn Changchun into the centre for extracting the agricultural and mineral resources of Manchuria, Japan developed a blueprint for Changchun and invested heavily in the construction of the city.
As the prelude and preparation of invasion and long-lasting occupation of China, Japan initiated at the beginning of 1907 the planning programme of the SMRAA which embodied distinctive colonial characteristics. The guiding ideology of the overall design was to build a high standard colonial city with sophisticated facilities, multiple functions and large scale.
The comprehensive plan was to meet the needs of:
Comfort demand of Japanese employees at Manchurian Railways
Assurances of Changchun to be a base for Japanese control of the whole Manchuria
Effective counterweight of Russia in this part of China.
Accordingly, nearly 7 million Yen on average was allocated on a year-to-year basis for urban planning and construction during the period of 1907–31.[19]
Railway nexus status was thickly underlined in the planning and construction, the main design concepts of which read as follows: under conventional grid pattern terms, two geoplagiotropic boulevards were newly carved eastward and westward from the grand square of the new railway station. The two helped forming two intersections with the gridded prototypes, which led to two circles of South and West. The two sub-civic centres served as axis on which eight radial roads were blazed that took the shape of a sectoral structure.
This kind of radial circles and the design concept of urban roads were at that time quite advanced and scientific. It activated to great extend the serious urban landscapes as well as a clearly identification of the traditional gridded pattern.
With the new Changchun railway station as its centre, the urban plan divided the SMRAA into such rectangles as residential quarters of 15%, commerce of 33%, grain depot of 19%, factories of 12%, public entertainment of 9% and administrative organs(including Japanese garrison) of 12%.[19] Each block provided the railway station with supporting and systematic services in the light of its own functions.
In the meantime, a comprehensive system of judiciary and military police was established which was totally independent of China. This accounted for the widespread domain of military facilities within the urban construction area of 3. 967k㎡，such as railway garrison, gendarmerie, police department and its 18 local police stations.[19]
Perceiving Changchun as a tabula rasa upon which to erect new and sweeping conceptions of the built environment, Japanese used the city as a practical laboratory to create two distinct and idealized urban milieus, each appropriate to a particular era. From 1906 to 1931 Changchun served as a key railway town through which the Japanese orchestrated informal empire; between 1932 and 1945 the city became home to a grandiose, new Asian capital. Yet while the façades the town and later the capital—as well as the attitudes soldes of the state they upheld—contrasted markedly, the shifting styles of planning and architecture consistently attempted to represent Japanese rule as progressive, beneficent, and modern.
Behind the development of Changchun, in addition to the railway trade driven, it suggested an important period of the Northeast modern architectural culture reflecting the urban design endeavours and revealing Japanese ambition of invading and occupying China. Japanese architecture and culture had been widely applied to Manchukuo to highlight the special status of the Japanese puppet. Once again, the urban planning will and should stem from a culture, be it aggressive or creative. Changchun's planning and construction process can serve as a good example.
Changchun expanded rapidly as the junction between of the Japanese-owned South Manchurian Railway and the Russian-owned Chinese Eastern Railway, while remaining the break of gauge point between the Russian and standard gauges into the 1930s,[20]
Manchukuo and World War II[edit]
On March 10, 1932 the capital of Manchukuo, a Japan-controlled puppet state in Manchuria, was established in Changchun.[21] The city was then renamed Hsinking (Chinese: 新京; pinyin: Xīnjīng; Wade–Giles: Hsin-ching; Japanese:Shinkyō; literally "New Capital") on March 13.[22] The Emperor Puyi resided in the Imperial Palace (Chinese: 帝宮; pinyin: Dì gōng) which is now the Museum of the Manchu State Imperial Palace. During the Manchukuo period, the region experienced harsh suppression, brutal warfare on the civilian population, forced conscription and labor and other Japanese sponsored government brutalities; at the same time a rapid industrialisation and militarisation took place. Hsinking was a well-planned city with broad avenues and modern public works. The city underwent rapid expansion in both its economy and infrastructure. Many of buildings built during the Japanese colonial era still stand today, including those of the Eight Major Bureaus of Manchukuo (Chinese: 八大部; pinyin: Bādà bù) as well as the Headquarters of the Japanese Kwantung Army.
Construction of Hsinking[edit]
Hsinking Master Plan Map (1934)
Hsinking was the only Direct-controlled municipality (特别市) in Manchukuo after Harbin was incorporated into the jurisdiction of Binjiang Province.[23] In March 1932, the Inspection Division of South Manchuria Railway started to draw up the Metropolitan Plan of Great Hsinking (simplified Chinese: 大新京都市计画; traditional Chinese: 大新京都市計畫; pinyin: Dà xīn jīngdū shì jìhuà). The Bureau of capital construction (simplified Chinese: 国都建设局; traditional Chinese: 國都建設局; pinyin: Guódū jiànshè jú) which was directly under the control of State Council of Manchukuo was established to take complete responsibility of the formulation and the implementation of the plan.[24] Kuniaki Koiso, the Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army, and Yasuji Okamura, the Vice Chief-of-Staff, finalized the plan of a 200 km2 (77 sq mi) construction area. The Metropolitan Plan of Great Hsinking was influenced by the renovation plan of Paris in the 19th century, the garden city movement, and theories of American cities planning and design in the 1920s. The city development plan included extensive tree planting. By 1934 Hsinking was known as the Forest Capital with Jingyuetan Park built, which is now Chinas largest Plantation and a AAAA-rated recreational area.[25]
In accordance with the Metropolitan Plan of Great Hsinking, the area of publicly shared land (including the Imperial Palace, government offices, roads, parks and athletic grounds) in Hsinking was 47 km2 (18 sq mi), whilst the area of residential, commercial and industrial developments was planned to be 53 km2 (20 sq mi).[26]。 However, Hsinkings population exceeded the prediction of 500,000 by 1940. In 1941, the Capital Construction Bureau modified the original plan, which expanded the urban area to 160 km2 (62 sq mi). The new plan also focused on the construction of satellite towns around the city with a planning of 200 m2 (2,200 sq ft) land per capita.[24] Because the effects of war, the Metropolitan Plan of Great Hsinking remained unfinished. By 1944, the built up urban area of Hsinking reached 80 km2 (31 sq mi), while the area used for greening reached 70.7 km2 (27.3 sq mi). As Hsinkings city orientation was the administrative center and military commanding center, land for military use exceeded the originally planned figure of 9 percent, while only light manufacturing including packing industry, cigarette industry and paper-making had been developed during this period. Japanese force also controlled Hsinkings police system, instead of Manchukuo government.[27] Major officers of Hsinking police were all ethnic Japanese.[28]
The population of Hsinking also experienced rapid growth after being established as the capital of Manchukuo. According to the census in 1934 taken by the police agency, the citys municipal area had 141,712 inhabitants.[29] By 1944 the citys population had risen to 863,607,[30] with 153,614 Japanese settlers. This population amount made Hsinking the third largest metropolitan city in Manchukuo after Mukden and Harbin, as the metropolitan mainly focused on military and politics function.[31]
Special City Government office of Hsinking
Datong Avenue in Hsinking (1939)
Manchukuo ministry building (built. 1935)
Manchukuo supreme court (built 1938)
Japanese chemical warfare agents[edit]
Main article: Unit 100
In 1936, the Japanese established Unit 100 to develop plague biological weapons, although the declared purpose of Unit 100 was to conduct research about diseases originating from animals.[32] During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and World War II the headquarters of Unit 100 ("Wakamatsu Unit") was located in downtown Hsinking, under command of veterinarian Yujiro Wakamatsu.[33] This facility was involved in research of animal vaccines to protect Japanese resources, and, especially, biological-warfare. Diseases were tested for use against Soviet and Chinese horses and other livestock. In addition to these tests, Unit 100 ran a bacteria factory to produce the pathogens needed by other units. Biological sabotage testing was also handled at this facility: everything from poisons to chemical crop destruction.
Siege of Changchun[edit]
Chinese Red Army entering Changchun.
Main article: Siege of Changchun
On August 20, 1945 the city was captured by the Soviet Red Army and renamed Changchun.[34] The Russians maintained a presence in the city during the Chinese civil war until 1946.
Kuomintang forces occupied the city in 1946, but were unable to hold the countryside against communist forces. The city fell to the communists in 1948 after the five-month Siege of Changchun by the Peoples Liberation Army. Between 10 and 30 percent[35] of the civilian population starved to death under the siege; estimates range from 150,000[36] to 330,000.[37] As of 2015 the PRC government avoids all mention of the siege.[38]
Peoples Republic[edit]
Changchun Liberation Monument
Renamed Changchun by the Peoples Republic of China government, it became the capital of Jilin in 1954. The Changchun Film Studio is also one of the remaining film studios of the era. Changchun Film Festival has become a unique gala for film industries since 1992.[39]
From the 1950s, Changchun was designated to become a center for Chinas automotive industry. Construction of the First Automobile Works (FAW) began in 1953[40] and production of the Jiefang CA-10 truck, based on the Soviet ZIS-150 started in 1956.[41] Soviet Russia lent assistance during these early years, providing technical support, tooling, and production machinery.[40] In 1958, FAW introduced the famous Hongqi (Red Flag) limousines[41] This series of cars are billed as "the official car for minister-level officials".[42]
Changchun hosted the 2007 Winter Asian Games.[43]
Geography[edit]
Changchun and vicinities, NASA World Wind screenshot, 2005-05-18
Changchun lies in the middle portion of the Northeast China Plain. Its municipality area is located at latitude 43° 05′−45° 15′ N and longitude 124° 18′−127° 02 E. The total area of Changchun municipality is 20,571 km2 (7,943 sq mi), including metro areas of 2,583 square kilometres (997 sq mi), and a city proper area of 159 km2 (61 sq mi). The city is situated at a moderate elevation, ranging from 250 to 350 metres (820 to 1,150 ft) within its administrative region.[1] In the eastern portion of the city, there lies a small area of low mountains. The city is also situated at the crisscross point of the third east–westward "Europe-Asia Continental Bridge".[citation needed] Changchun prefecture is dotted with 222 rivers and lakes. The Yitong River, a small tributary of the Songhua River, runs through the city proper.
Climate[edit]
Changchun has a four-season, monsoon-influenced, humid continental climate (Köppen Dwa). Winters are long (lasting from November to March), cold, and windy, but dry, due to the influence of the Siberian anticyclone, with a January mean temperature of −15.1 °C (4.8 °F). Spring and fall are somewhat short transitional periods, with some precipitation, but are usually dry and windy. Summers are hot and humid, with a prevailing southeasterly wind due to the East Asian monsoon; July averages 23.1 °C (73.6 °F). Snow is usually light during the winter, and annual rainfall is heavily concentrated from June to August. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 47 percent in July to 66 percent in January and February, a typical year will see around 2,617 hours of sunshine, and a frost-free period of 140 to 150 days. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −33.0 °C (−27 °F) to 35.7 °C (96 °F).[44]
[show]Climate data for Changchun
Administrative divisions[edit]
Changchun Peoples Government
The sub-provincial city of Changchun has direct jurisdiction over 7 districts, 2 county-level cities and 1 County:
Map
NanguanKuanchengChaoyangErdaoLuyuanShuangyangJiutaiNongan
CountyYushu
(city)Dehui
(city)
NameSimplified ChineseHanyu PinyinPopulation (2010 census)Area (km2)
City proper
Chaoyang District朝阳区Cháoyáng Qū675,270237
Nanguan District南关区Nánguān Qū533,97981
Kuancheng District宽城区Kuānchéng Qū457,959238
Erdao District二道区Èrdào Qū402,090452
Luyuan District绿园区Lùyuán Qū602,072216
Suburb
Shuangyang District双阳区Shuāngyáng Qū377,9331,677
Jiutai District九台区Jiǔtái Qū738,6063375
Satellite cities
Dehui德惠市Déhuì Shì839,7863,435
Yushu榆树市Yúshù Shì1,160,9694,712
Rural
Nongan County农安县Nóngān Xiàn1,029,6805,400
Demographics[edit]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1932104,305—
1934160,381+53.8%
1939415,473+159.1%
1944863,607+107.9%
1953855,197−1.0%
19644,221,445+393.6%
19825,744,769+36.1%
19906,421,956+11.8%
20007,135,439+11.1%
20107,677,089+7.6%
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions. In 1958, 5 counties were put under Changchuns jurisdiction, increasing the total population to over 4 million.
According to the Sixth China Census, the total population of the City of Changchun reached 7.677 million in 2010.[46] The statistics in 2011 estimated the total population to be 7.59 million. The birth rate was 6.08 per thousand and the death rate was 5.51 per thousand. The urban area had a population of 3.53 million people. In 2010 the sex ratio of the city population was 102.10 males to 100 females.[46]
Ethnic groups[edit]
As in most of Northeastern China the ethnic makeup of Changchun is predominantly Han nationality (96.57 percent), with several other minority nationalities.[citation needed]
Economy[edit]
Changchun achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of RMB332.9 billion in 2010, representing a rise of 15.3 percent year on year. Primary industry output increased by 3.3 percent to RMB25.27 billion. Secondary industry output experienced an increase of 19.0 percent, reaching RMB171.99 billion, while the tertiary industry output increased 12.6 percent to RMB135.64 billion. The GDP per capita of Changchun was ¥58,691 in 2012, which equates to $9338. The GDP of Changchun in 2012 was RMB445.66 billion and increased 12.0 percent compared with 2011. The primary industry grew 4.3 percent to RMB31.71 billion. Secondary industry increased by RMB229.19 billion, which is a rise of 13.1 percent year on year. Tertiary industry of Changchun in 2012 grew 11.8 percent and increased by RMB184.76 billion.[3] [47]
A FAW-built Audi 100
The citys leading industries are production of automobiles, agricultural product processing, biopharmaceuticals, photo electronics, construction materials, and the energy industry.[6] Changchun is the largest automobile manufacturing, research and development center in China, producing 9 percent of the countrys automobiles in 2009.[48] Changchun is home to Chinas biggest vehicle producer FAW (First Automotive Works) Group, which manufactured the first Chinese truck and car in 1956. The automakers factories and associated housing and services occupies a substantial portion of the citys southwest end. Specific brands produced in Changchun includes the Red Flag luxury brand, as well as joint ventures with Audi, Volkswagen, and Toyota. In 2012, FAW sold 2.65 million units of auto. The sales revenue of FAW amounted to RMB 408.46 billion, reprensenting a rise of 10.8% on year.[6] As cradle of the auto industry, one of Changchun's better known nicknames is "Chinas Detroit".[8]
Manufacturing of transportation facilities and machinery is also among Changchuns main industries. 50 percent of Chinas passenger trains, and 10 percent of tractors are produced in Changchun. Changchun Railway Vehicles, one of the main branches of China CNR Corporation, has a joint venture established with Bombardier Transportation to build Movia metro cars for the Guangzhou Metro and Shanghai Metro,[49] and Rapid Transit Vehicle cars for the Tianjin Metro.
Foreign direct investment in the city was US$3.68 billion in 2012, up 19.6% year on year.[6] In 2004 Coca-Cola set up a bottling plant in the city's ETDZ with an investment of US$20 million.[50]
Changchun hosts the yearly Changchun International Automobile Fair, Changchun Film Festival, Changchun Agricultural Fair, Education Exhibition and the Sculpture Exhibition.
CRRC manufactures most of its bullet train carriages at its factory in Changchun. In November 2016, CRCC Changchun unveiled the first bullet train carriages in the world with sleeper berths, thus extending their use for overnight passages across China. They would be capable of running in ultra low temperature environments. Nicknamed Panda, the new bullet trains are capable of running at 250 kmph, operate at -40 degrees Celsius, have wifi hubs and contain sleeper berths that fold into seats during the day.[51]
Other large companies in Changchun include:
Yatai Group, established in 1993 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1995. It has developed into a major conglomerate involved in a wide range of industries including property development, cement manufacturing, securities, coal mining, pharmaceuticals and trading.[52]
Jilin Grain Group, a major processor of grains.[53]
Development zones[edit]
Changchun Automotive Economic Trade and Development Zone[edit]
A Hongqi H7 manufactured in Changchuns FAW Company on display at the 2012 Hannover-Messe
Founded in 1993, the Changchun Automotive Trade Center was re-established as the Changchun Automotive Economic Trade and Development Zone in 1996. The development zone is situated in the southwest of the city and is adjacent to the China First Automobile Works Group Corporation and the Changchun Film ThemeCity. It covers a total area of approximately 300,000 square metres (3,229,173 square feet). Within the development zone lies an exhibition center and five specially demarcated industrial centers. The Changchun Automobile Wholesale Center began operations in 1994 and is the largest auto-vehicle and spare parts wholesale center in China. The other centers include a resale center for used auto-vehicles, a specialized center for industrial/commercial vehicles, and a tire wholesale center.[50]
Changchun High Technology Development Zone[edit]
The zone is one of the first 27 state-level advanced technology development zones and is situated in the southern part of the city, covering a total area of 49 km2 (19 sq mi). There are 18 full-time universities and colleges, 39 state and provincial-level scientific research institutions, and 11 key national laboratories. The zone is mainly focusing on developing five main industries, namely bio-engineering, automobile engineering, new material fabrication, photo-electricity, and information technology.
Changchun Economic and Technological Development Zone[edit]
Established in April 1993, the zone enjoys all the preferential policies stipulated for economic and technological development zones of coastal open cities.[50] The total area of CETDZ is 112.72 square kilometres (43.52 square miles), of which 30 square kilometres (12 square miles) has been set aside for development and utilization.[54] It is located 5 kilometres (3 miles) from downtown Changchun, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the freight railway station and 15 km (9 mi) from the Changchun international airport. The zone is devoted to developing five leading industries: namely automotive parts and components, photoelectric information, bio-pharmaceutical, fine processing of foods, and new building materials. In particular, high-tech and high value added projects account for over 80 percent of total output. In 2006 the zones total fixed assets investment rose to RMB38.4 billion. Among the total of 1656 enterprises registered are 179 that are foreign-funded. The zone also witnessed a total industrial output of RMB 277 billion in 2007.[50]
Infrastructure[edit]
Changchun is a very compact city, planned by the Japanese with a layout of open avenues and public squares. The city is developing its city layout in a long-term bid to alleviate pressure on limited land, aid economic development and absorb a rising population. According to a draft plan up until 2020, the downtown area will expand southwards to form a new city center around Changchun World Sculpture Park, Weixing Square and their outskirts, and the new development zone.[50]
Railways[edit]
Changchun Railway Station
See also: Changchun Railway Vehicles
Changchun has three passenger rail stations, most trains only stop at the central Changchun Railway Station (simplified Chinese: 长春站; traditional Chinese: 長春站), where there are multiple daily departures to other northeast cities such as Jilin City, Harbin, Shenyang, and Dalian, as well as other major cities throughout the country such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway which runs through three provinces in northeastern China, has a stop in Changchun.[55] The new Changchun West Railway Station, situated in the western end of urbanized area, is the station for the high-speed trains of the Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway.[56]
Despite once having the most complex tram system in Northern China, there is now only one remaining route open, route 54 (see Changchun Tram). However, Changchun is notable for having Chinas first urban light rail system, opened in 2002, which was developed from the existing tramway system. There is currently one line encompassing 14.6 km (9.1 mi) of track with plans to expand the system to an eventual 179 km (111 mi) of track.[50]
Road network[edit]
Changchun is linked to the national highway network through the Changchun–Harbin Expressway, the Changchun–Jilin–Hunchun Expressway and the busiest section in the province, the Changchun–Jilin North Highway. This section connects the two biggest cities in Jilin and is the trunk line for the social and economic communication of the two cities.[50]
Changchun is served by a comprehensive bus system—most buses (and the tram) charge 1 Yuan (元) per ride. Private automobiles are becoming very common on the citys congested streets. Bicycles are relatively rare compared to other northeastern Chinese cities, but mopeds, as well as pedal are relatively common.
Air[edit]
Main article: Changchun Longjia International Airport
Changchun Longjia International Airport located 31.2 kilometres (19.4 miles) north-east of Changchun urban area. The airports construction began in 1998, and was intended to replace the operations of the older Changchun Dafangshen Airport, which was built in 1941. The airport opened for passenger service on August 27, 2005.[57] The operation of the airport is shared by both Changchun and nearby Jilin City.[58] The airport has scheduled flights to major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. There are also scheduled international flights between Changchun and overseas cities such as Bangkok,[59] Osaka[60] and Khabarovsk.[61]
Military[edit]
Changchun is headquarters of the 16th Group Army of the Peoples Liberation Army, one of the four group armies that comprise the Northern Theater Command responsible for defending Chinas northeastern borders with Russia, Mongolia and North Korea.
Education[edit]
Universities and colleges[edit]
PRC State key laboratory in Jilin University
Changchun has 27 regular institutions of full-time tertiary education with a total enrollment of approximate 160,000 students. Jilin University and Northeast Normal University are two key universities in China.[39] Jilin University is also one of the largest universities in China, with more than 60,000 students.
Changchun Normal University
Changchun Taxation College
Changchun University
Changchun University of Science and Technology
Changchun University of Chinese Medicine[62]
Jilin College of the Arts
Jilin Huaqiao Foreign Languages Institute, a private college offering bachelor study programs in foreign languages, international trade management and didactics[63]
Jilin University
Northeast Normal University
Jilin Engineering Normal University
Middle schools[edit]
High School Attached to Northeast Normal University
Affiliated Middle School to Jilin University
No.72 Middle School of Changchun
Primary and secondary schools[edit]
International schools include:
Changchun American International School
Deutsche Internationale Schule Changchun
Sports and stadiums[edit]
Changchun Sports Centre
As a major Chinese city, Changchun is home to many professional sports teams:
Jilin Northeast Tigers (Basketball), is a competitive team which has long been one of the major clubs fighting in China top level league, CBA.
Changchun Yatai Football Club, who have played home soccer matches at the Development Area Stadium since 2009.[64] In 2007 they won the Chinese Super League.[65]
There are two major multi-purpose stadiums in Changchun, including Changchun City Stadium and Development Area Stadium.
Changchun Wuhuan Gymnasium, the main venue of the 2007 Asian Winter Games.
It has an indoor speed skating arena, Jilin Provincial Speed Skating Rink,[66] as one of five in China.[67]
Jinlin Tseng Tou[68] are a professional ice hockey team based in the city and compete in the Russian based Supreme Hockey League. They are one of two Chinese based teams to enter the league during the 2017-18 season. The other being based in Harbin, China.
Film[edit]
Changchun Film Group Corporation
Changchun Film Festival
People[edit]
Ei-ichi Negishi (根岸 英), 2010 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, was born in Japan Imperial-era Hsinking
Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波/刘晓波), 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was born in Changchun
The Manchukuo Imperial Army was the ground force of the military of the Empire of Manchukuo, a puppet state established by Imperial Japan in Manchuria, a region of northeastern China. The force was primarily used for fighting against Communist and Nationalist guerrillas in Manchukuo but also took part in battle against the Soviet Red Army on several occasions. It initially consisted of former National Revolutionary Army troops of the "Young Marshal" Zhang Xueliang who were recruited after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria en masse, but eventually expanded to include new volunteers and conscripts. The Imperial Army increased in size from about 111,000 troops in 1933 to an estimated strength of between 170,000–220,000 soldiers at its peak in 1945, being composed of Han Chinese, Manchus, Mongols, Koreans, Japanese, and White Russians. Throughout its existence the majority of its troops were considered to be mostly unreliable by their Japanese officers and advisers, due to poor training, equipment, and morale.
Contents [hide]
1History
1.1Establishment
1.2Counterinsurgency operations
1.3Defense of the border
1.4Final years and defeat
2Weapons and equipment
2.1Uniforms
2.2Small arms
2.3Artillery
2.4Armored vehicles
3Organization
3.1Ranks
3.2Order of battle
4Special units
5See also
6Sources
6.1Citations
6.2References
7External links
History[edit]
Establishment[edit]
Military exercise of Manchukuo Imperial Army
Manchukuo Imperial Army generals
After the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in September 1931 and the creation of the puppet state of Manchukuo on 18 February 1932, they began raising an army to help them police the local population. The Manchukuoan armed forces were officially established by the Army and Navy Act of 15 April 1932 to maintain order in the new country. Former Qing dynasty emperor Puyi, who was later known by the era name Kangde upon his ascension to the throne of Manchukuo in 1934, had supreme command of the land, naval, and air forces. The Imperial Armys initial recruits came from the former Chinese Nationalist troops in the army of Zhang Xueliang, the warlord who had ruled Manchuria prior to the Japanese invasion. Large numbers of Chinese soldiers had surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army and were recruited en masse into the new Manchukuoan forces. About 60,000 of these troops gave themselves up and many more were later absorbed into the Imperial Army. Other recruits included local bandit groups and volunteers.[1]
Many of the Nationalist troops that formerly served under the Young Marshal Zhang Xueliang had received poor training and had little loyalty to anyone, with a high proportion of them being opium addicts. As a result, the new force was regarded as mostly unreliable by the Japanese, who decided to employ the Young Marshals former troops because they provided a numerically large and already-trained (albeit poorly) army. Their performance against bandit groups was dismal. It was reported that in May 1932 a unit of 2,000 Manchukuoan troops were "driven like sheep" by a group of outlaws they were operating against. Their lack of loyalty to the new regime was demonstrated by the significant number of mutinies that occurred in those years. In August 1932, a unit of about 2,000 men deserted their garrison at Wukimiho, taking their weapons over to the anti-Japanese guerrillas. Likewise, the entire 7th Cavalry Regiment revolted around the same time and joined the partisans as well. According to Japanese officers, there were many cases of Manchukuoan troops giving their weapons to the enemies they were sent to attack.[1]
In its first form the Manchukuo Imperial Army was organized in seven Provincial Guard Armies (one for each province), with a total of about 111,000 men. An Independent Cavalry Brigade was created to provide a garrison for the capital of Hsinking, and the Manchukuo Imperial Guard was raised in February 1933 from men of Manchu ethnic backgrounds as part of the capital garrison to provide protection for Emperor Puyi and senior government officials. The Japanese intended to replace the unreliable former troops of Zhang Xueliang with those trained by them and the government of Manchukuo as soon as circumstances permitted. As part of this effort, a new law signed in 1934 stated that only those trained by the Manchukuoan government could serve as officers. It was done to remove those former Nationalist officers who had been in the Young Marshals forces and break the tradition of warlordism.[1]
In 1938, military academies were established in Mukden and Hsinking order to provide the Imperial Army with more reliable troops. A Central Training School for junior officers was opened in Mukden. The first class of 200 officer cadets graduated in November 1938, followed by 70 others in January 1939. Another class graduated in 1940, which included 97 cadets. After this, the number of native volunteers had dried up and the school accepted 174 Japanese recruits, who went on to serve in both the Manchukuoan army and the Japanese reserves. The military academy in Hsiking had its first class graduation in July 1938, which included 34 cadets. In addition, a signal school, medical school, and gendarmerie training school were established in Manchukuo. A military academy specifically for ethnic Mongols was established in 1934, taking in 100 cadets for a two-year course. The course included religious teachings and other classes to foster a patriotic Mongol spirit in the cadets. This first class graduated in the late 1930s.[2]
An important factor that allowed for the expansion of the Manchukuoan army was conscription. The Military Supplies Requisition Law of 13 May 1937 allowed the Manchukuoan and Japanese armies to conscript laborers, as well as allowing them to appropriate land and materials for the purposes of keeping order.[3] The draft of soldiers did not begin until April 1940 and was not officially signed into law until 1941, which allowed every able-bodied male between the ages of eighteen and forty to be called up. All youths were required to get a physical and then 10% of them were selected for service. Education, physical fitness, and their families loyalty to the regime were things taken into consideration for selecting conscripts. When this was not enough, the Japanese forcibly drafted males from across the country into the army, and many efforts were taken to foster a Manchukuoan patriotic spirit among the troops.[4]
Counterinsurgency operations[edit]
Main article: Pacification of Manchukuo
Manchukuo Imperial Army officers
Manchukuo Army marching band
In its early years, the Empire of Manchukuo was home to many resistance groups that fought against it and the Japanese occupation forces. Many of those guerrilla fighters were civilians, but a great many were former soldiers of Zhang Xueliangs army that decided to continue to resist on their own rather than surrender or leave Manchuria. One of the more notable resistance leaders was Ma Zhanshan, whose army fought rearguard actions as the Young Marshals main force retreated south. The Japanese were impressed with him and decided to recruit him by offering a large sum of money to the general. Ma initially accepted the offer from Colonel Kenji Doihara and briefly served as the state of Manchukuos war minister. He used the opportunity to equip and arm his troops before deserting en masse to fight against the Japanese again.[5]
The number of insurgents in Manchukuo swelled from 130,000 initially to more than 300,000. The problem became so severe that the Japanese launched a number of anti-guerrilla operations throughout the early and mid-1930s. The operations saw the usage of Imperial Army troops in support of the IJA and were largely successful, confining the remaining insurgents to the northeast of the country and greatly reducing their numbers.[6] They were complicated by the fact that many of the Manchukuoan troops had little loyalty to their new regime and frequently switched sides, or warned the bandits of the coming attacks. These operations often involved a smaller vanguard of Japanese troops doing much of the fighting with a larger Manchukuoan contingent that played a supporting role. A law enacted in September 1932 titled "Provisional Punishment of Bandits" allowed for captured insurgents to be executed. The War Ministry of Manchukuo provided monetary rewards for officers of units that killed insurgents. The Imperial Army suffered significant casualties during the period from 1932 to 1935 during these operations, losing 1,470 killed and 1,261 wounded. The first campaign conducted by Manchukuoan troops independently of the Japanese did not occur until 1936, when some 16,000 men took part in fighting the 1st Route Army, capturing or killing more than 2,000 insurgents.[7]
Some of the notable early operations that Manchukuoan troops were involved in included:
Subjugation of the Anti-Jilin Army (March–June 1932): A campaign undertaken by Japanese forces and several Manchukuoan units to clear out 20,000 Nationalist troops from the Jilin region. The units involved were the 7th and 8th Infantry Brigades along with the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Brigades, for a total of 7,000 men. Several ships of the River Defense Fleet also took part. The Nationalists were pushed back to the north of the province and the Sungari River was secured.[6]
First Tungpientao Clearance (May–June 1932): When a Manchukuoan commander revolted and surrounded the Japanese consulate in Tungho a force of Japanese police was sent to relieve it, along with 1st and 2nd detachments of the Fengtien Guard Army as support. They totaled 4,000 men. Although the mutineers were forced to retreat, the Manchukuoan troops performed poorly and took considerable losses.[6]
Ma Zhanshan Subjugation (April–July 1932): A campaign that was launched against the headquarters of Ma Zhanshan. Manchukuoan forces numbered 5,000 men and included detachments from the Heilongjiang Guard Army. They fought alongside Japanese troops during the operation. The poor performance of the Manchukuoans during the fight allowed his guerrillas to escape.[6]
Li Hai-ching Subjugation (May 1932): An attack launched by a force of 6,000 troops from the 1st Infantry and 2nd Cavalry Brigades of the Heilongjiang Guard Army, the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Jilin Guard Army, and the 1st, 4th, and 7th detachments of the Taoliao Army. It fought against a group of 10,000 insurgents in the southern Heilongjiang province. The joint Japanese-Manchukuoan force successfully drove out the insurgents.[6]
First Feng Chang-hai Subjugation (June 1932): A series of skirmishes between the units of the Jilin Guard Army and local guerrillas. Manchukuoan forces included the Jilin Railway Guards, Cavalry Corps and the 1st Infantry Brigade, in total 1,600 men. The Manchukuoans lost 150 men killed while claiming to have killed 1,000 guerrillas.[6]
Second Feng Chang-hai Subjugation (June–July 1932): An operation to clear out several districts from anti-Japanese fighters. The Manchukuoan contingent included units from the Taoliao and Jilin Guard Armies. The force totaled 7,000 men, and with Japanese assistance managed to drive out 15,000 insurgents.[6]
Mongolian Bandit Subjugation Operation (August 1932): Mongolian bandits attacked the Ssutao railway line and captured a small town. A small force of Manchukuoans was sent to reclaim the area and forced the Mongolians to retreat.[6]
Third Feng Chang-hai Subjugation (September 1932): A force of 7,000 men of the Jilin Guard Army attacked 10,000 bandits who were retreating from their earlier defeat in July. They were attempting to cross the border out of Manchukuo into the Chinese province of Jehol. Although they were surrounded, the majority of the bandits were able to escape.[6]
Su Ping-wei Subjugation ("Machouli Incident") (September–December 1932): A unit that had pledged loyalty to Manchukuo under Su Bingwen revolted against the Japanese. A force of 4,500 men took part in putting down the revolt and succeeded after heavy fighting, forcing Sun Bingwen to retreat into Soviet territory.[6] Originally, the Manchu princess and soldier Yoshiko Kawashima wanted to negotiate with him, but the plans were cancelled. Japanese propaganda nonetheless published exaggerated tales of her exploits during the revolt.[8]
Second Tungpientao Subjugation (October 1932): The Fengtien Guard Army cleared a district of guerrillas, killing 270 men and taking another 1,000 prisoner. About 8,000 Manchukuoan troops acted as support for a much smaller Japanese force.[6]
Li Hai-ching Subjugation (October 1932): A group of 3,000 insurgents attempted to attack the south Heilongjiang province before a joint Manchukuoan-Japanese force launched a counterattack. It then retreated into the Jehol province.[6]
Ki Feng-Lung District Subjugation (November 1932): An operation to clear the Ki Feng-Lung di.
PHOTO soldes DINTRONISATION EMPEREUR CHINOIS PU YI 新京 MANCHOUKUO VINTAGE 1934
