Directory_and_Chronicle_1938 — Page 504

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

CHANGCHUN

Ê Chang chun

春長

or Kwanchengtze

This town owes its recent importance to the fact that it is situated at the junction of the South Manchuria Railway (Japanese) with the southern branch (from Harbin) of the Chinese Eastern Railway, while another Rail- way connects it with the city of Kirin, the capital of the Province of that name, about 80 miles, distant, nearly due East, and beyond to Tunhua.

Changchun was opened to International Trade by Agreement with Japan in 1915. There is here a large Japanese Railway Settlement, admirably laid out, north of the old Town, from which it is separated by the area laid out by the Chinese Authorities as a commercial quarter. North of the Japanese Railway Settlement lies the town that has grown up around what is new the southern terminus of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

The country surrounding Changchun is a vast and exceedingly fertile plain, the produce from which is distributed North, South and East by the divergent Railways

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Since March 9, 1932, Changchun has been the Capital of the new State of Manchuria (or "Manchoukuo"), recognition of which has not yet been accorded by any foreign country, with the exception of San Salvador; and the name of the town has been changed to Hsinking ("New Capital.")

Plans have been mooted for elaborate extensions of the existing town, to be laid out in a style befitting the Capital of an independent Republic of some 30,000,000 people.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1938 — Page 504

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