Yanbian, Erdaobaihe Town: A Town Amidst the White Mountains and Black Waters

Leaving Changchun, I headed towards Changbai Mountain, the highlight of my trip to Northeast China. During the three-day window, I had options: if the weather was good, I would go to Changbai Mountain; if not, I would enjoy a city walk in Jilin and Yanji. Fortunately, the weather forecast predicted sunny days for the next three days, so I took the high-speed train straight to Changbai Mountain. The Changbaishan Railway Station is located in Erdaobaihe Town, Antu County, Yanbian Prefecture. Changbai Mountain has three scenic areas, and the North Slope Scenic Area in Erdaobaihe is undoubtedly the most famous, making it my choice for this visit. Under the clear sky, the high-speed train traveled through the vast forests of Northeast China in midsummer. The land was incredibly flat, extending infinitely in all directions. As someone from the mountainous Guizhou, I was extremely envious of this great plain. The great plain was covered with endless forests, mainly coniferous and mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests, which were very different from the broad-leaved forests in the south, creating a sense of exoticism. The Changbaishan Railway Station is located on a high ground in the north of Erdaobaihe Town. Standing on the platform in front of the station, the view extends for over a hundred miles. Erdaobaihe Town is right below, and following the town's direction, you can see the land gradually rising until the majestic mountains at the end of the sky: Changbai Mountain. Erdaobaihe Town is the closest town to Changbai Mountain, making it a popular tourist destination. Compared to winter, midsummer is the off-season here, so the town is relatively quiet. However, from the scale of the city and the service facilities, you can clearly feel that winter will bring a different scene. But the summer in Erdaobaihe Town is also incredibly beautiful. In fact, I prefer the Northeast in midsummer to winter. The high latitude means that even at 9pm, there still seems to be light on the horizon. And even when the sun is high, the air here has a hint of coolness and freshness. For me, who grew up in the summer resort of Guiyang, Northeast China is one of the few places I dare to set foot in during the hot summer. After years of tourism development, the small Erdaobaihe Town has many parks, such as the Meiren Song Sky Corridor Park, which offers a distant view of Changbai Mountain; the artistic Meiren Song Sculpture Park; the Chinese Merganser Park, developed along the Erdaobaihe River, the source of the Songhua River; and the Jian Shui River Wetland Park, rich in aquatic plants. Walking through the streets and alleys of the town, you will be dazzled by the signs of Korean cuisine such as ginseng chicken soup and beef soup. Among them, ginseng chicken soup is truly my favorite. At night, the colorful lights in Erdaobaihe Town light up, and the cool breeze even brings a bit of chill. Sitting on any bench in the town and looking up at the sky, you can see a clear and beautiful starry sky, which is hard for us who grew up in the city to imagine. Another great viewing platform in Erdaobaihe Town is Changbai Tiandi, not far from the visitor center of the North Slope Scenic Area of Changbai Mountain. This huge building, like a giant ship, is the largest building in the town. The building is full of hotels and restaurants, and the top floor is a circular runway. Walking around here, you can clearly see Changbai Mountain, dozens of miles away, and the continuous primeval forest near Changbai Mountain.