Why Qiqihar
Qiqihar, also known as Tsitsihar, is the second-largest city in Heilongjiang province in northeastern China. Situated in the west-central portion of the province, the city lies within the hinterland of the Songnen Plain along the middle and lower stretches of the Nen River. It shares borders with neighboring regions including the Greater Khingan Range and the Hulunbuir Prairie, with a terrain sitting at an average elevation of 146 meters above sea level. It is located roughly 359 kilometers from Harbin, the provincial capital.
The name Qiqihar originates from a Dagur word translating to "border" or "natural pasture." The area's original designation was Bukui, meaning "auspicious." While Han Chinese make up the primary population, the municipality is home to thirty-four ethnic minority groups, including Daur, Manchu, and Mongol communities. The prefecture-level administrative area encompasses 42,289 square kilometers, comprising several urban districts such as Longsha, Tiefeng, and Jianhua, alongside rural surroundings.
First settled by nomadic Tungus and Daur herders, Qiqihar established a garrison in 1674 and subsequently developed into a regional trade center between Russia and China. Its oldest Islamic site, the Bukui Mosque, was built prior to the formal founding of the city. Imperial Qing policies eventually lifted restrictions on local land development, bringing Han farmers into the region to assist local Solon inhabitants with agriculture. The construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1903 transformed the location into a vital regional travel network. In the 1930s, the city came under Japanese military occupation, serving as an administrative base for the puppet state of Manchukuo. Following World War II, Communist forces took control in 1946, and Qiqihar served as Heilongjiang's capital from 1949 until the capital transferred to Harbin in 1954. During China's first five-year plan, Soviet-aided industrial projects helped establish it as a heavy equipment manufacturing center.
Visitors to the region can experience local natural attractions like Longsha Park within the city. Just outside the main urban area lie extensive wetland environments, most notably the Zhalong Nature Reserve, which is nationally famous as a habitat for red-crowned cranes. Freight continues to travel along the local riverways, while the city's commercial and civic sectors host universities such as Qiqihar University.
Qiqihar features a four-season, humid continental climate influenced by monsoons, offering long, dry, cold winters and warm, humid summers. January average temperatures drop to −18.1 °C (−0.6 °F), whereas July averages reach 23.3 °C (73.9 °F), with the majority of annual rainfall occurring between June and August. The city is served by Qiqihar Sanjiazi Airport, situated 13 kilometers from downtown, offering air transport to major domestic destinations. High-speed and conventional train lines connect Qiqihar Railway Station to prominent Chinese cities including Beijing, Harbin, Dalian, Hangzhou, and Xi'an.
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