Xiaobai Mountain

Xiaobai Mountain

Xiaobai Mountain is located 1.2 kilometers west of the Jilin to Fengman West Route Highway, with an elevation of 314.6 meters. Formerly known as White Tiger Mountain, it resembles a crouching tiger lying with its head to the north and tail to the south. Situated to the west of Jilin City, and according to the description in the *Hou Hanshu·Baihu Tongyi* (White Tiger Commentary) by Ban Gu of the Eastern Han Dynasty — “the Vermilion Bird in front, the Black Tortoise behind, the Azure Dragon on the left, and the White Tiger on the right” — the White Tiger represents the west, hence the name. It is one of the four most renowned mountains in Jilin City.

In Manchu, Xiaobai Mountain is called "Wendehe" or "Wendehe'en", meaning "sacrificial board", originating from the fact that this was the place where the Qing Dynasty conducted remote sacrifices to Changbai Mountain, the birthplace of the Manchu people.

The ancestors of the Qing emperors originated from Changbai Mountain where they established their regime, so the Qing Dynasty regarded Changbai Mountain as a sacred mountain, and emperors throughout the dynasties would offer sacrifices to it. However, due to the long distance and difficult transportation to Changbai Mountain, in the eleventh year of the Yongzheng reign (1733), a five-bay main hall of the Wangji Temple was built on Xiaobai Mountain, along with a two-bay ceremonial instrument building at the foot of the mountain for the chief ritual officials to stay in, and a deer enclosure at the mountain’s base for raising sacrificial animals. The Wangji Temple enshrined the “Spirit Tablet of Changbai Mountain”, where local officials would conduct seasonal sacrifices to Changbai Mountain on behalf of the emperor every spring and autumn.

After the construction of the Wangji Temple, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Aisin-Gioro Hongli, personally visited Xiaobai Mountain to conduct a sacrifice in the nineteenth year of the Qianlong reign (1754). At that time, Xiaobai Mountain was covered with lush ancient trees, fragrant grass carpeting the ground, blooming wildflowers, and the sounds of birds everywhere, making for a very serene and beautiful scenery. “Deer Enclosure at White Mountain” also became one of the Eight Scenic Spots of old Jilin.

During the Liberation War, Xiaobai Mountain suffered severe damage from army destruction, and the only remaining ceremonial instrument building was also ruined during the Cultural Revolution, leaving only ruins behind.

The best route to Xiaobai Mountain: take bus 19 (westbound to Fengman) from Jilin Railway Station to Hongqi Cold Drinks stop. There is a cement road directly leading to Xiaobai Mountain opposite the stop. It takes about 15 minutes to walk there. The bus ticket is 2 yuan one way.