Stand on the re-done riverfront in the evening and the hills rise on every side of Tonghua, with the Tongjiang River running through the middle of town. The downtown itself is small and fully modernized in Chinese style: tall buildings, a few simple shopping malls, and a pleasant stretch of water to walk beside.
Tonghua suits travellers who are passing through rather than settling in. Most visitors use it as a jumping-off point for the Koguryo sites in Ji'an or for onward travel to Changbaishan, and the town rewards a day of your time rather than a week.
This guide covers the sights the sources actually name — the Yang Jingyu Martyrs Cemetery, Baijifeng National Forest Park, the riverfront and the surrounding hills — plus the practical shape of a single day in town.
Top things to do in Tonghua
1. Yang Jingyu Martyrs Cemetery
This cemetery stands on the hills adjoining the Tongjiang River and was built to commemorate Yang Jingyu, the Second Sino-Japanese War hero who led the First Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army against the Imperial Japanese Army and was killed in battle. Construction began in July 1954 and was completed in September 1957.
There are five buildings in the park, all classical glazed tile structures. The front is the mourning hall and the tomb, and the four partial temples serve as the performance exhibition hall of General Yang Jingyu. A bronze statue of the general stands at the centre of the cemetery, and the front of its granite base is engraved with Peng Zhen's handwriting: The National Hero Yang Jingyu. Combine it with a walk along the riverfront below, since the cemetery sits on the hills adjoining the Tongjiang River.
2. Baijifeng National Forest Park
Baijifeng National Forest Park lies in the southeast of Tonghua, 25 kilometres from the urban area, and is dominated by natural landscapes. Baiji Yaoshan inside the park reaches 1,318 m (4,324 ft), the highest peak of Tonghua, and the forest coverage rate is 98.7%.
The main species are Korean pine, spruce, alfalfa, birch, and rare species such as yew, hedgehog, hawthorn, and magnolia; under the canopy grow wild ginseng, ginseng, asarum and other medicinal materials. Because the park is a full 25 kilometres out of town, treat it as a half-day or full-day trip rather than something to squeeze between two city stops.
3. The riverfront
The riverfront has been attractively re-done, and walking it is one of the few things the sources recommend doing in Tonghua itself. It is the easiest way to see the town at its best without committing to a long excursion.
Take it slowly in the evening, when the walk pairs naturally with the hills that ring the town. If you are in Tonghua mainly to change trains, this is the stretch of town worth stepping out for.
4. The surrounding hills and countryside
Tonghua is ringed by attractive hills, and it may be possible to take walks in the surrounding countryside. This is a low-key option rather than a formal attraction, and it depends on conditions on the day.
Ask locally before setting out, since the sources describe these walks as a possibility rather than a maintained trail network. Spring and autumn are brief here, so if you want to walk the hills, those short windows are the time to do it.
5. Shopping in the downtown malls
The downtown is pleasant and holds a few simple shopping malls, which the sources list alongside riverfront walks as a way to pass time in town. It is a modest option, best treated as something to do rather than a destination in itself.
Pair it with a riverfront walk on the same outing, since both sit in the modernized centre. Note that rainfall is heavy from June to August, so a mall is a reasonable fallback on a wet summer afternoon.
6. The Changbai Shan Nature Reserve connection
Tonghua serves as a connecting railway station for the Changbai Shan Nature Reserve, linking the major population centres to the north and west with the reserve. For many travellers this is the main reason to be in Tonghua at all.
Trains from Tonghua Railway Station connect the city with Beijing, Qingdao, Shenyang, Dalian and several other major cities in China, and railways from Shenyang to Jilin and Meihekou to Ji'an meet in Tonghua. Plan your onward leg around the station rather than around the town.
7. Koguryo sites at Ji'an
Tonghua is the jumping-off point for the Koguryo sites in Ji'an, and the Goguryeo kingdom established its capital at Gungnae in 425 A.D. Together with the Tombs of the Ancient Gogoryeo Kingdom, this represents the only successful, independent submission to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Use Tonghua as the base for the trip rather than trying to see Ji'an and the town in the same afternoon. The Meihekou to Ji'an railway is one of the lines meeting in Tonghua, which is what makes the connection work.
8. Ski slopes
A fledgling tourist trade in Tonghua has sought to highlight some ski slopes among the area's attractions. They are named as an attraction rather than described in detail, so treat them as a seasonal option to confirm locally.
Winters here are long, very cold, windy and dry, with a January average of −13.9 °C, so dress for genuine cold if you go. The same hills that ring the town are what make the slopes possible.
9. The tomb of General Yang
The tomb of the local hero General Yang, a resister to the Japanese occupation of Manchukuo in the 1930s, is listed among the attractions the local tourist trade has sought to highlight. It sits within the Yang Jingyu Martyrs Cemetery, where the front of the park is the mourning hall and the tomb.
See it as part of the cemetery visit rather than as a separate stop, since the two are the same site. The bronze statue and the exhibition halls in the four partial temples round out the visit.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Yang Jingyu Martyrs Cemetery on the hills adjoining the Tongjiang River, seeing the mourning hall and tomb, the bronze statue and the exhibition halls in the four partial temples. If you have the time and transport, Baijifeng National Forest Park is 25 kilometres southeast of the urban area and takes a half day on its own, so choose one or the other rather than both.
Afternoon: Return to the modernized downtown and spend the afternoon in the simple shopping malls, which is one of the few things the sources recommend doing in town. If the weather is against you, this is the sensible indoor stretch of the day.
Evening: Walk the riverfront, which has been attractively re-done, and take in the hills that ring the town. If you still have daylight and energy, a walk in the surrounding countryside may be possible — ask locally first.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tonghua worth visiting in its own right?
The sources are candid: although the downtown is pleasant, there are few tourist attractions, and most visitors use Tonghua as a jumping-off point for the Koguryo sites in Ji'an or for onward travel to Changbaishan. Plan it as a base and a day's stop rather than a destination.
How do I get to Tonghua?
Trains from Tonghua Railway Station connect the city with Beijing, Qingdao, Shenyang, Dalian and several other major cities in China. Railways from Shenyang to Jilin and Meihekou to Ji'an meet in Tonghua, and the city is also served by G11 Hegang-Dalian Expressway and Tonghua Sanyuanpu Airport.
When is the best time to go?
Tonghua has a monsoon-influenced, humid continental climate with long, very cold, windy but dry winters and hot, humid summers; spring and autumn are brief. More than 60% of annual precipitation falls from June to August, so if you want dry walking weather, avoid high summer.
What can I do in Tonghua on a wet or quiet day?
Shop in the downtown malls or take a walk along the riverfront, both of which the sources name as options in town. Walks in the surrounding countryside may also be possible, but confirm locally before setting out.
Decide whether Tonghua is your base for Ji'an and Changbaishan or a single stop on the rail line, then build the day around the cemetery, the riverfront and one of the hills.