Jilin is not a place that was ever high up on my list of places that I wanted to go to in China, but after visiting it I can confidently say it should be at the top of yours.
My first stop was the Jingyuetan National Forest Park, situated in the southeast of Changchun city. The freshness and calmness of this park was idyllic, with pockets of people out for their afternoon run or just getting some alone time. I was taken to a cable lift that took me up to one of the highest points and got to toboggan (长雪橇) down the hill side, which I had done once before beside the Great Wall of China, but this time I was in among the trees and wilderness.
The forestry in Jilin is second to none, which was evident when I visited the Changchun Zoological and Botanical Gardens, featuring multiple parades and performances, but my favorite of all was the glowing lantern sculptures decorated around and in among the greenery. I was fortunate enough to dress up in some of the performance costumes. I have attended a performing arts academy for many years, so I was over the moon when greeted by performers in Siping.
My last day in Jilin was a day of relaxation. I started the day by rafting down a local river, where butterflies adorned the trees like Christmas decorations. From here I made the journey to a rural forest to partake in the intangible cultural heritage protection project of ginseng picking. A master guided me into the forest in search of the root plant and showed me the correct way to unearth the roots. The practice can only be done during two months of the year and the rest is left for the ginseng to grow back. It can take many years for the ginseng to grow to a profitable size.
My expectations were blown up to the mountains in Jilin as the people here showed me all warmth and generosity, sharing their wonderful province with me. It is most definitely a place I’m itching to climb back into.
【小题1】What’s the meaning of the underlined world “idyllic” in the second paragraph?| A．Crowded | B．Lonely | C．Peaceful | D．Wild |
| A．You can’t miss the forestry. |
| B．The forestry ranks second. |
| C．Changchun Zoological and Botanical Gardens is the second largest park in Jilin. |
| D．He likes the Changchun Zoological and Botanical Gardens most. |
| A．He hasn’t been to other tourist attractions in China. |
| B．Jilin was a must place to visit for him. |
| C．He can pick ginseng at any time of a year. |
| D．He is a performing artist. |
| A．A geography textbook. | B．A health care report. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A science brochure. |
