Travel Destinations: Ji’an, Jilian Province, China

Ji’an is a small city in Jilian Province, home to around 240,000 people. Although a small city, it has a big history; it was once part of the great Korean Koguryo (Gaogouli) kingdom. This Korean dynasty ruled not only the Korean peninsula but parts of northern China from 37 BCE to 668 CE.

In 2004, UNESCO declared this area a World Heritage Site for its amazing Koguryo tombs, ruins and pyramids. Archaeologists have found a wealth of ancient remains in the area surrounding Ji’an including three ancient cities, 40 tombs and the amazing ancient town of Huanren in Liaoning Province.

If you are in love with ancient history, you will never want to leave Ji’an. Start with the General’s Tomb; one of the largest pyramid structures in the area, the General’s Tomb (Jiangjunfen) is a 12m tall pyramid-like structure that was built in the fourth century CE for a Koguryo ruler. Nearby is the smaller tomb for his wife. The tombs lie about 4km northwest of the city, nestled in the hills.

Ji’an Museum is a great place to soak up the history of the region. Although small, this modern museum (Ji’an Bowuguan) showcases some spectacular examples of pottery, jewellery, coffin nails and weapons from the Kouryo kingdom. It costs only five Yuan (RMB) to get and you will find it on the north side of town.

Haotaiwang Stele is another great place to visit. This six meter tall stone slab is inscribed with some 1,175 Chinese characters, recording the accomplishments of the Koguryo king Tan De (374 – 412 CE) who is known as Haotaiwang. The inscriptions are a little faint today, but a photo exhibit shows them more clearly. Nearby is the king’s tomb. The stele is located northeast of town, not far from the General’s Tomb.

As Ji’an is situated near the North Korean border, you can sample Korean or Korean-influence cuisine. The restaurant Xingang Shuishang Canting (which means ‘New Harbour Floating Restaurant’) is situated right on the river, serves delicious dishes and the tables face North Korea.

You can get here by a number of different ways; There is a long-distance bus station located in the west of Ji’an. It takes about two hours to get to and from Tonghua, six hours to Dandong, eight hours to Shenyang and four hours to Huanren.
The train station (Yanjiang Lu) can be found in the northeast part of town.

There are two slow trains which travel to and from Tonghua daily.