Yitong Volcano Group

　　The Jilin Yitong Volcano Group National Nature Reserve was established in October 1983, upgraded to a provincial-level nature reserve in December 1985, and further designated as a national-level nature reserve in October 1992 with approval from the State Council.

　　The world-rare Yitong Volcano Group is located across Yitong Manchu Autonomous County in Jilin Province, the suburbs of Changchun City, Gongzhuling City, and Siping City. It consists of sixteen volcanic domes formed during the Oligocene to Pliocene epochs of the Cenozoic Tertiary period, approximately 33.8 million to 8.6 million years ago. The volcanic area spans over 640 square kilometers, with the reserve covering a total area of 764.8 hectares. Its geographic coordinates are between 124°50′ to 125°22′ east longitude and 43°14′ to 43°35′ north latitude.

　　This volcano group is a type of natural geological heritage reserve. Its lava domes were formed through a slow, “toothpaste-squeezing” or “extrusive” process, recognized by experts and scholars both domestically and internationally as unique “Yitong-type” volcanoes that stand alone in the world of volcanology. All the volcanic domes are composed of alkaline olivine basalt. Rising abruptly from the ground, their arc-shaped peaks stand tall, spread out in correspondence, and echo each other across the Songliao Plain. Their shapes resemble skyscrapers, saddles, ingots, lotus flowers, or even a kunpeng bird spreading its wings, an army formation turned into a city, a blue ox gazing at the moon, or a golden turtle watching the sun. Among the volcano group, seven domes—including Dagushan, Xiaogushan, and Dongxijianshan—form a Big Dipper-like arrangement, giving rise to the popular local legend of the “Seven Stars Descending to Earth.”

　　The columnar alkaline olivine basalt of the domes is either exposed on the surface or buried deep underground. The exposed formations display a myriad of peculiar and ever-changing shapes. The pillar of Xijianshan can rival America’s Devils Tower in Wyoming; the stone forest of Dagushan surpasses that of Guilin; the collective strength formation of Hengtoushan is a masterpiece of nature’s craftsmanship; the eagle-beak cliff of Molaiqing Mountain showcases the wonder of nature’s creation. The legend of “Erlang Carrying Mountains” casts the East and West Xijianshan as protagonists in a sci-fi tale of nature’s making, while the tale of “The Fox Spirit Healing the Sick” vividly illustrates the harmonious relationship between humans, animals, and nature.

　　Thanks to the outstanding work of the Reserve Administration and the attention of governments at all levels, the Yitong Volcano Group has regained its vitality. Its conservation significance has become a shared understanding and effort among governments and the public. The reserve holds special academic and practical importance for researching and discussing the geological structural attributes and evolution of eastern China, the interaction between the Pacific Plate and the Eurasian Plate, as well as mineral resource exploration and geological disaster assessment. It also plays a vital role in studying volcanic activity and magma origins, mantle material composition, and movement patterns.

　　Since its establishment, the reserve has hosted research, scientific expeditions, science education, and tourism activities from institutions including the U.S. Geological Survey, Paris Diderot University (France), Sapienza University of Rome (Italy), University of British Columbia (Canada), Far Eastern Federal University (Russia), Kyoto University and Hiroshima University (Japan), the Lower Saxony State Museum of Natural History (Germany), the Northeast Scientific Expedition Team of the 30th International Geological Congress, as well as departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Land and Resources, the State Environmental Protection Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Central Advisory Commission, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, and the State Council Institutional Organization Commission. Numerous domestic and international research bodies and universities also conduct activities here, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.