Milky Way Scenic Area

Milky Way Scenic Area

The Milky Way Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

The Milky Way is located in the southeastern part of Wangqing County, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, within the administrative jurisdiction of Baicaogou Town and under the forestry management of Wangqing County Forestry Bureau. This forest park spans 80 forest compartments, covering an area of 17,200 hectares, stretching 22 kilometers from north to south and 10 kilometers from east to west.

The Milky Way Forest Park enjoys convenient transportation, bordering Dongguang Town and Wangqing Town of Wangqing County to the east, adjacent to Tumen City to the southeast, neighboring Yanji City to the south, with Zhongping Village of Baicaogou Town to the west, and Yonghe Village of Baicaogou Town, Wangqing County, to the north. National Highway Heda passes through the area. It is 46 kilometers from Yanji City and 40 kilometers from Tumen City. The park is also over 200 kilometers from the Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) scenic area of Changbai Mountain to the south, 100 kilometers from Hunchun to the east, 200 kilometers from Dunhua to the west, and 200 kilometers from Jingpo Lake and Mudanjiang to the north, while being only 46 kilometers from Yanji City, all accessible by road. Its geographical location lies in the central area among major northeastern tourist attractions, making it an ideal stopover between these sites. It also has the potential to develop international tourism routes with North Korea and Russia, thereby expanding the tourism market with promising prospects.

In 1995, it was approved as a “Provincial-Level Scenic Spot” by the provincial government, designated as an “AA-Level Tourist Area” by the National Tourism Administration in 2001, and recognized as a “National Forest Park” by the State Forestry Administration in December 2004. In recent three years, it has received an average of 50,000 visitors annually. The overall development plan of the forest park includes four functional zones: special landscape area, ecological conservation area, recreation area, service management area, and historical site preservation area. It also offers nine categories of tourism products: sightseeing tourism, health and wellness tourism, entertainment tourism, back-to-nature tourism, sports tourism, holiday tourism, study tourism, food tourism, and special interest tourism. Leveraging the characteristics of scenic spots, resources, regional culture, and ethnic features, the park develops unique and diverse tourism merchandise.

The Milky Way Scenic Area features eight major zones and thirty-six scenic spots. Nestled among mountains, it is known for its “vast waters, serene mountains, beautiful snowscapes, and lush forests,” offering distinctive landscape features within Yanbian Prefecture. The most stunning attraction is Tianxing Lake, which stretches 18 kilometers with its meandering beauty, often praised as the “Little Three Gorges of the Northeast.” This is a world of pristine beauty where breathtaking scenes converge, a mysterious and tranquil primitive gallery. It is also a pure and untouched leisure destination.

Legend has it that long ago, in the distant Star Kingdom, the planet Uranus had eighteen sons, all brave and wise, and eighteen daughters, all talented and beautiful. As time passed, the Star Kingdom grew dimmer, and only by obtaining the elixir of immortality could it be saved. Thus, the eldest son, Wangshixing, set out on a quest for the elixir. Half a month passed with no sign of him. Then the second son also embarked on the journey to find both his elder brother and the elixir, but he too never returned. One after another, Uranus’s children left the kingdom in search of the elixir, yet none came back. It turned out that all thirty-six of them settled in Mantai City, brought their father there to live with them, and cared for him. After some time, Uranus regained his strength and even became younger. From ancient times to this day, Uranus and his family, along with tens of thousands of little stars, shine brilliantly here, enjoying a wondrous paradise life. Later generations named Mantai City “Milky Way” based on this legend.

Baicaogou Town: Baicaogou Town is one of the comprehensive reform pilot towns in Jilin Province. It is located in the southwestern part of Wangqing County, 25 kilometers from the county seat, Wangqing Town, and 48 kilometers from the prefectural capital, Yanji City. It is a key transit point on the route from Wangqing to Yanji. To the east, it faces Tumen City and Hunchun City across the mountains, and to the west, it borders Antu and Longjing. The town covers an area of 588 square kilometers, governs 42 administrative villages, has 5,000 hectares of arable land, 467 hectares of forested land, and five rivers flowing through it. With 8,300 hectares of grassland, it produces over 100 million kilograms of fresh grass annually. It is one of the key economic towns in Wangqing.

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