Changbai Mountain: What Makes It Northeast China's Number One Peak?
▲ Changbai Mountain veiled in swirling clouds and mist, a place that countless Northeasterners dream of. Photo by Chang Jianru
Most mountains in Northeast China have particularly down-to-earth names, such as:
Eagle Beak Crag, Big Bald Top, Old Bald Top, Chimney Crag, Three Peaks… each carrying the local accent and humor of the Northeast.
However, one mountain stands out with an otherworldly elegance, towering above the Northeast like a transcendent being. She is the "Roof of Northeast China":
In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, she was called "Buxian Mountain" — white as salt yet without its saltiness. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, she was known as "Tutai Mountain," and in the Sui and Tang dynasties, "Taibai Mountain." She is the sacred mountain of various ethnic groups in the Northeast and the mythical birthplace of the Manchu people. She is also the gatekeeper of the "Ten-Year Promise" between Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling in The Lost Tomb.
Changbai Mountain remains snow-covered and shrouded in clouds all year round, resembling a solemn elder dressed in white. Today, the name "Changbai" is also romantically interpreted as "long together, till white-haired."
▲ In Changbai Mountain, a waterfall plunges like a white silk ribbon. Photo by Wen Jialin
Yet, throughout history, Changbai Mountain has not only been "white." As a volcano, its frequent eruptions in ancient times turned the entire Northeast into a different color. Today, the traces of volcanism have faded, and the dormant mountain silently overlooks the world, nurturing the land below in various ways.
▲ Wind, snow, and glaciers carve the rugged mountaintop, while summer blankets the slopes with wildflowers. Photo by Chang Jianru
She embodies "the fusion of ice and fire," combining the wonders of snow mountains and volcanoes; she "shapes landscapes," nourishing three major rivers and turning the Northeast into a watery northern paradise; she "nurtures life," fostering precious flora and fauna in its pristine forest ecosystem; and she "blesses all beings," with glacial meltwater and mineral springs sustaining countless lives.
▲ Fishermen casting nets in Ji'an City, at the southern foot of Changbai Mountain. Photo by Qiu Huining
The "White Mountains and Black Waters" nourish this fertile land of Northeast China. Changbai Mountain is not only the geographical and cultural heart of Northeasterners but also the source of countless captivating stories that define the region.
Fusion of Ice and Fire: A Snow Mountain and a Volcano
Vast snowfields and forests cloaked in silver are most people’s first impression of Changbai Mountain — and perhaps also the first impression outsiders have of the Northeast.
▲ Deep forests blanketed in snow at the foot of Changbai Mountain. Photo by VCG
Located at high altitude and latitude, Changbai Mountain lies where the warm, moist air from the Sea of Japan meets the cold currents from Siberia, resulting in abundant rain and snow, with snow cover lasting up to nine months. Even after the beginning of summer in May, when most parts of the country transition into summer attire, the peak of Changbai Mountain remains snow-capped. The rime ice景观, which forms under low temperatures and ample moisture, is also a common sight.
In the endless winter, the snow-covered Changbai Mountain appears immensely sacred, with nature’s brush generously leaving blank spaces in this landscape painting.
▲ After winter sets in, the peak of Changbai Mountain displays a striking contrast of black and white. Photo by Wang Yu
However, the ethereal "white robe" is not all there is to Changbai Mountain — she also has a burning "heart." As a complex active volcano, she once spewed smoke and lava, scorching the entire Northeast in ancient times and leaving behind vast volcanic geological structures. The most recent eruption occurred about 300 years ago, and she has remained dormant since.
▲ Barren cliffs left behind after a volcanic eruption. Photo by Zuo Ximing
Ascending to the summit of Changbai Mountain, the towering and rugged volcanic cone pierces the sky, surrounded by volcanic gravel and pumice weathered from collapsed volcanic lava. On the crater walls, gray, white, and yellow hues interweave, forming jagged, sawtooth-like patterns. The slopes, once flowed with magma, now feature deep valleys and gullies—remnants of glacial erosion.
▲ The towering volcanic cones surrounding the Heavenly Lake. Photo by Wang Yu
The intertwined "ice-fire romance" of volcanoes and snow-capped mountains has shaped the unique landscape of Changbai Mountain.
Shaping the Landscape: A Horseshoe-Shaped "Wall" Enclosing the Northeast Waterland
Sea Liaoning, Water Jilin, Snow Heilongjiang—the mountains and rivers of the three northeastern provinces are guarded by the same giant, a Changbai Mountain far grander than commonly perceived.
▲ The Changbai Mountain range stands as a "great wall" in the east of Northeast China, with the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve at its core. Map by Monk
In the narrow sense, Changbai Mountain refers to the main peak and ridge of the range; broadly, it spans over 1,300 kilometers, from the Wanda Mountains by the Ussuri River in the north to the Laotie Mountain remnant of the Qian Mountains by the Bohai Sea in the south.
▲ Endless flat farmland along the Songhua River. Photo by Chang Jianru
This massive mountain system dominates the eastern part of Northeast China. Together with the Greater Khingan Range in the west and the Lesser Khingan Range in the north, it forms a horseshoe-shaped "wall," nurturing numerous rivers. The Tumen and Yalu Rivers flow out from here, serving as eastern "moats." The Songhua River also connects 80% of the lakes in Jilin, especially where it meets the Nen River in the northwest, creating a region dotted with marshes and one of China’s highest lake densities—a true "Northeast Waterland."
Besides rivers, volcanic activity formed many crater lakes. Heavenly Lake is the most spectacular remnant of Changbai Mountain’s volcanic eruptions.
Climbing the winding steep road to the summit, the view suddenly opens up to a vast, flat lake—"a high peak cradling a calm lake." Heavenly Lake is China’s largest crater lake and its deepest. Though its area is less than 1/200th of Taihu Lake, its depth reaches 373 meters, holding 2 billion cubic meters of freshwater—half of Taihu’s volume. Sixteen peaks surround it, lifting the lake to an elevation of 2,180 meters.
▲ Heavenly Lake’s shores are visible, but its depths are unfathomable. Photo by 810 and My Story, via Tuchong Creativity
From above, the narrow-sense Changbai Mountain stands at the core like a towering beacon, regulating the ecology and climate of Northeast China with its vast, pristine forests.
In summer, the "beacon" sheds its white coat. Abundant rain and snow make Changbai Mountain’s brief summer spectacular. Meltwater feeds lush vegetation and rushing streams. From foot to summit, varying elevations offer distinct landscapes—"four seasons on one mountain, different skies every ten miles."
▲ Vegetation shows clear vertical zoning with elevation: "four seasons on one mountain, different skies every ten miles." Photo by VCG
Above 2,100 meters, in the treeless zone, average temperatures stay below 10°C, but cold doesn’t preclude life. After snowmelt, colorful wildflowers sway in the wind—a rare Arctic-like tundra landscape.
▲ In summer, the alpine tundra near Changbai Mountain’s summit blooms with wildflowers. Photo by VCG
Nurturing Life: The Forest Tale of Changbai Mountain
To the mountain dwellers of Northeast China, Changbai Mountain is more than a mountain, a lake, or a forest—it is alive, a vast life force nurturing countless beings with boundless energy.
▲ Beneath the snow-covered silent forest lies a world of vibrant life. Photo by Zhang Xiaoping
During the Qing Dynasty, the mountain closure and forest ban made this area one of the very few natural regions in ancient China under strict protection by the central government—a protection that lasted 216 years. As a result, the forests of Changbai Mountain remain in a rare, pristine state untouched by humans, making it a paradise for birds and beasts.
In this snowy forest, there are as many as 1,588 known species of wild animals and 2,806 species of wild plants thriving and inhabiting the area. Many of these species have nearly vanished elsewhere but continue to flourish in Changbai Mountain.
Here lives the Chinese merganser, as precious as the giant panda, which can only survive in unpolluted forest streams. Thus, it is regarded as a key indicator species for environmental quality. They have found their most suitable home in Changbai Mountain.
▲ Changbai Mountain is a shared home for humans and all wild animals.
Here, the nearly extinct wild Siberian tiger hides deep in the dense forests, while the "five-striped" chipmunk and the besra sparrowhawk live freely among the mountain forests and streams.
Summer snowmelt and rainfall nourish the lush woodlands and vegetation at lower altitudes. In Changbai Mountain, fallen trees decompose like "whale falls," with decaying wood integrating into the soil and becoming a cradle for rare products, such as the medicinal lingzhi mushroom and the monkey head mushroom, which resembles a monkey's head. Mushrooms are everywhere in Changbai Mountain—wild hazel mushrooms, matsutake, oak mushrooms, and golden oyster mushrooms can often be seen growing on fallen logs.
▲ Ancient trees are commonly seen in the Changbai Mountain forest area. Photo by Chen Yan
These mushrooms are nurtured by Changbai Mountain and, in turn, nourish the mountain people who depend on the forest for their livelihood. During the mushroom-picking season, piles of mushrooms are dried in the courtyards and on the roofs of the locals' homes. When guests visit, serving stewed chicken with mushrooms is a must for hospitality in Northeast China.
Benefiting Millions: Melting Snow and Ice Become the Source of Life
For ancestors, the snow here was a sacred mountain entity to be admired from afar; for plants and animals, it served as an excellent insulating layer against the cold wind. Every summer, the snow on Changbai Mountain melts into water, nourishing all living beings.
▲ Under the vast expanse of white snow, the river flows incessantly. Photo/VCG
The glacial snowmelt and mineral-rich groundwater of Changbai Mountain also support countless hot and cold springs in the surrounding area. The coexistence of hot and cold springs represents the symphony of "ice" and "fire" in Changbai Mountain.
As a volcano, Changbai Mountain heats groundwater with underground magma, resulting in many hot springs around the area that boil year-round at temperatures close to 90 degrees Celsius. The "hot spring egg," cooked in these springs, has a solidified yolk but uncoagulated egg white, making it a famous local specialty of Changbai Mountain.
▲ The melted snow and ice of Changbai Mountain will undergo a long cycle.
Near the hot springs, there are also natural low-temperature artesian springs, known as cold mineral springs, with high and stable water output. These springs maintain a constant low temperature of 7°C, icy like snow yet never freezing. How is this formed?
After a 270-day snow cover period, around April and May each year, when snow up to 2 meters thick begins to melt, the snowmelt from the mountain undergoes a long cycle of 30 to 60 years. It first infiltrates, filters, and migrates underground until it encounters a water-blocking fault or rock mass, where it accumulates. Eventually, the mountain rocks exert immense pressure, causing the spring water to gush out from crevices and be "reborn."
▲ Snowmelt water rushing down from Changbai Mountain. Photo/Heidelberg Graphic Design, Image/Chongtu Creative
During this process, volcanic pumice, olivine basalt, and volcanic ash in the forest ecosystem form a natural "filter," ensuring the spring water remains healthy, pure, and unpolluted. As the snowmelt flows through the rock layers, it continuously dissolves mineral elements, gradually enriching the water with silica and other elements. Water with high metasilicic acid content has a soft texture and a slightly sweet taste. Even more remarkably, carbon dioxide and water undergo an endothermic reaction under unique geological conditions, allowing the melted snow water of Changbai Mountain to maintain a refreshing temperature of 7°C year-round.
After a comprehensive upgrade in water source, quality, and packaging, Nongfu Spring has launched a super new product—Nongfu Spring Changbai Snow · Natural Snow Mountain Mineral Water.
Changbai Snow originates from the Lushui River National Forest Park at the northern foot of Changbai Mountain, with the entire pristine forest of Changbai Mountain serving as its water source replenishment area. Less than 60 kilometers from Tianchi (Heaven Lake), a rare metasilicic acid-type cold artesian spring emerges, delivering the taste of soft snowflakes from the Changbai Mountain forest—crisp, light, and slightly sweet.
In its packaging, Changbai Snow embodies an ecological concept, conveying reverence for nature and respect for life. It features four personalized designs: the Siberian tiger, chipmunk, Chinese merganser, and sparrowhawk—four wild animals. Through their forms, one can glimpse the pristine mountains, forests, springs, and snow. This is "Changbai Snow" as seen through the eyes of the rare wildlife of Changbai Mountain.
In Changbai Mountain, the quality of water determines the life it nurtures. Only water sources nurtured by a healthy ecological environment, located within a robust forest ecosystem, are truly vibrant and life-sustaining.
Between the "white mountains and black waters," countless vibrant lives are conceived, inhabit, and thrive here. A fall of Changbai Snow nurtures life and benefits all people.
Nongfu Spring Changbai Snow: Natural Snow Mountain Mineral Water
Original price 88 yuan, new product trial price 72 yuan/case (24 bottles)
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