Daqing (dà qìng 大庆) is known as the Oil Capital of China and has experienced a phenomenal boom since oil was discovered here in the 1960s. And it is made up of five districts and four counties, which form a total area of 21,000 square kilometers, with a population of over 2.5 million. The city is situated among beautiful wetlands and prairies in the western part of Songnen Plain (sōng nèn píng yuán 松嫩平原) to the south of Heilongjiang (hēi lóng jiāng 黑龙江) province as well as the most beloved celebrity from Daqing is probably "Iron-Man" Wang Jinxi (wáng jìn xǐ 王进喜), who is remembered for his strength and perseverance during the early days of Daqing's oil fields. With the beautiful nature scenery and meaningful culture, Daqing would show its beauty to the world.

 

 

Until the Qing (qīng 清) Dynasty, the area now known as Daqing was a reasonably insignificant place, known only as a hunting ground due to its wetland and prairies, and consequently it remained unsettled. It grew slightly after Russia constructed the Chinese Eastern Railway through the area with a stop at Saertu (sà ěr tú 萨尔图). It was not until 1959 that oil was discovered in the region as part of the large scale oil exploration put into motion across the Songliao Basin (sōng liáo pén dì 松辽盆地). Shortly before the 10th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, oil was found and the city began to take into the Daqing we know today. In 1979 it was named Daqing, which literally means "Great Celebration".

 

 

Locating in the North Temperate Zone (běi wēn dài 北温带), belonging to the continental monsoon climate, affected by the cold air mass from the inland of Mongolia and the monsoon resulted from the warm air mass of the ocean.
Generally speaking, the winter is cold with frequent snowfalls, and in spring and autumn, monsoon is prevailing. A shorter frost free period and plenty of rainfall comes in step with the heat, all of which are good for crops and herbage. The yearly average temperature is 5.6 degree centigrade with a summer average of 22, and 2658.1 hours of sunshine, 229 days free of frost in average. The daily difference in temperature can come up to11 to 14 degree centigrade during the growth period of crops.

  

Memorial Hall of Iron-Man Comrade Wang Jinxi (tiě rén wáng jìn xǐ jì niàn guǎn 铁人王进喜纪念馆)

Wang Jinxi (wáng jìn xǐ 王进喜) (1923-1970) was born into a poor peasant family in 1923 and worked variously as a shepherd and coal-carrier during childhood. At the age of 15 he left his home and headed to the oilfields in Yumen (yù mén 玉门) where he worked hard for many years, joining the Communist Party in 1956. In 1960, Chairman Mao decided that China should no longer rely on foreign oil supplies, and decided to step up domestic production. A team which included Wang Jinxi was sent to an untapped field in Yumen. The team worked through fatigue and injury in diabolical conditions, in temperatures dropping as low as -30C for many days before finally striking oil and the field became operational. Later, he was honored by Mao Zedong (máo zé dōng 毛泽东), who referred to him as a Pillar of the Industry. He was nicknamed the Iron Man for his great strength and perseverance, becoming a symbol of the working class in Mao's new China. In 1971, Daqing opened the Memorial Hall of Iron Man Comrade Wang Jinxi to honor his memory. There is a large statue at the main gate to the park, as well as three exhibition halls displaying Wang Jinxi's life story through pictures and articles.

Address: No.8 the second Jiefang Road (jiě fàng èr lù 解放二路)

Opening Time: 8:00—16:00

Transportation: Bus 23, 36, 356, 357.

Admission Fee: CNY 5

 

Dangnai Wetland (dāng nài shī dì 珰奈湿地)

The Dangnai Wetlands covers over 30,000 hectares to the northwest of Daqing, and is often regarded as one of the most beautiful spots in the Heilongjiang Province. In legend, nomadic Mongols traveling through the area came across the lush grasslands and clear waters of the lake and decided to settle in the area. The lake was home to a number of red-crowned cranes which the Mongols admired greatly: they built a temple in their honor which they named Dangnai meaning "Temple of the Fairy" in the Mongol language. The temple was damaged in the Cultural Revolution, and is no longer used as a site to pray to the beautiful red-crowned cranes, but the name has remained.

At the centre of Dangnai Wetland is a lake, on which sits an island housing the Huxin Pavilion (hú xīn tíng 湖心亭) which can be reached by one of the pretty wooden bridges which crosses the water. In the summer, lotus plants bloom on the lake and the area is considered particularly beautiful. Visitors to the lake can take bamboo boats across the water. As well as the lake, the Dangnai Wetlands is home to a fishing garden and a bird garden. A hotel and restaurant in the park ensures that visitor's stays need not be cut short.

Location: Yan Tongtun Village (yān tǒng tún zhèn 烟筒屯镇), the Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County (dù ěr bó tè méng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn 杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县)

Transportation: take bus to Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County at Daqing bus station (dà qìng qì chē zhàn 大庆汽车站), and then go to Dangnai Wetland by motorbikes and three wheelers.

Admission Fee: CNY 80

  

Annular Lake (lián huán hú 连环湖)

During the dry season, Annular Lake is a series of 19 lakes separated by marshy land and reed beds. During periods of heavy rain, the individual lakes join to form Annular Lake. The lake sits 20 kilometers west of the Duerbod Mongol Autonomous Region (dù ěr bó tè méng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn 杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县) on the Duerbod Prairie The area serves as a sanctuary for over 240 bird species, and rather incongruously is also a hunting ground for waterfowl and wild ducks during the autumn months.

Location: the west of the Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County (dù ěr bó tè méng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn 杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县)

Transportation: take bus to Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County at Daqing bus station (dà qìng qì chē zhàn 大庆汽车站), and then go to Annular Lake by taxi.

Admission Fee: CNY 40

 

The Horse Race in Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County (dù ěr bó tè méng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn cǎo yuán sài mǎ 杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县草原赛马)

The matching field in the beautiful prairie of Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County is built in 1993 and has 150,000 square meters. The running track is 1,000 meters long, the width point is 8 meters and it can contain 10 horses to race together. Around the matching field, the blue sky, the green grasses, the clean lack, the soft wind, all make travelers felt quite and relaxed.

Location: the Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County

Opening time: Each weekend

Transportation: take bus to Dorbod Mongol Autonomous County (dù ěr bó tè méng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn 杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县) at Daqing bus station (dà qìng qì chē zhàn 大庆汽车站).

Admission Fee: CNY 20

 

 

Edible Wild Vegetables (shān yě cài 山野菜)
In the depths of Xiaoxing’anling Forest (xiǎo xìng ān lǐng 小兴安岭), a wide variety of wild vegetables are grown, including fiddlehead ferns, day-lilies, cucumber and mountain celery. These nutritious vegetables are organically grown, free from polluted air, fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals.

 

Eight Kinds of Fishes (sān huā wǔ luó 三花五罗)
Refers to three freshwater fishes - Mandarin fish (tender with few bones), Chinese bream (tender, rich in fat) and Crucian carp (steamed or cooked as soup); as well as five smaller fishes – zheluo fish (zhé luó yú 哲罗鱼) (rare, cold water fish used as dumpling stuffing), faluo fish (fǎ luó yú 法罗鱼) (cooked as a soup), yaluo fish (yǎ luó yú 雅罗鱼), tongluo fish (tóng luó yú 铜锣鱼) and huluo fish (hú luó yú 胡罗鱼).

 

Sashimi (shēng yú piàn 生鱼片)
A Traditional Japanese dish, sashimi is sliced raw fish that is often served with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger. In order to fully appreciate its subtle flavors, Japanese prefer eating sashimi before other more strongly flavored dishes. Consequently, sashimi will often be served as a first course in formal Japanese meals, but it is not uncommon for it to be served as a main course as well. Taste and texture sensations are wide-ranging; everything from the slippery yet firm squid to the orange colored salmon that melts in the mouth. Sashimi is typically served on a bed of Daikon (bái luó bo 白萝卜) (Asian white radish) which is shredded into long strands. Miso soup (wèi cēng tāng 味噌汤) or seaweed salad often accompanies this dish.

 

Pig Trotter (zhū shǒu 猪手)
The dish is very unique with bone morsels; great for the figure since it has no grease.  

 

Braised Chicken (pā jī 扒鸡)
With unique skills and precious seasonings, it is cooked in aged soup. It is a representative of combining green food and black food. It is low fat, low blood lipids and cholesterol.

 

Tripe and Pine Nuts (sōng rén xiǎo dù 松仁小肚)
Known for its distinct aroma and taste, this tripe dish is flavored with sesame seed balm, mung bean starch and pine nuts.