The ARAQ Network includes one university
in the City of Changchun - Jilin University.
As anyone with a basic knowledge of Chinese characters will
tell you, Changchun literally means ˇ°Long Springˇ±. However
this is something of a misleading name. According to one theory,
the city's name is rooted in the eternal hope of its citizens.
Changchun actually has a long winter, with sub-zero temperatures
common from November through until April. The name Changchun
represents the longing of its inhabitants for an early thaw,
providing them with a ˇ°Long Springˇ±. Unfortunately the reality
is that springs are invariably short ¨C beginning in April
or May and giving way to summer in June.
|
|
Changchuners are an active,
industrious people, and they do not sit around waiting
for spring to arrive. Changchun is home to China's largest
automobile factory (aptly titled ˇ°No.1 Automobile Factoryˇ±)
and its largest university (Jilin University). It is
a prime example of a Chinese city undergoing rapid modernization,
and its cityscape is constantly changing. |
Despite its size (the official population of Changchun is
million, ranking it at No. in the world), Changchun does not
have a large foreign community. Apart from the Han Chinese,
the largest ethnic grouping is the Chaoxian-zu. Originally
from Korea, for many members of this community Korean is still
the native language. However their society has developed in
China over the past 800 years, and of course they are Chinese
citizens. Although their first language remains Korean, their
culture is now far removed from those of either North or South
Korea.
Changchun has one major claim to fame. It was the home of
the last Chinese emperor, Pu Yi. After the Japanese occupiers
were driven out of most of mainland China, they retreated
to Dongbei (Northeast China) and set up a capital in Changchun,
calling the territory still under their control the State
of Manchuria. Pu Yi ˇ°reignedˇ± in Changchun from 1932 until
his Japanese masters were finally evicted from all of mainland
China in 1945. It is possible to tour Pu Yi's palace in Changchun,
and it provides a fascinating insight into the complex and
troubled history between China and Japan.
Changchuners speak a very standard version of Putonghua Chinese.
The combination of living in a modern city with a low degree
of internationalization and a standard Putonghua Chinese speaking
population makes Changchun an ideal place for language students.
Have a specific question about a city or university?
E-mail us at enquiries@hyccchina.com.
We will reply within two working days.
|
