On the bank of the Yitong River in the central part of the Northeast China Plain, Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province. It is situated at the junction of the Beijing-Harbin and Changchun-Tumen railways and is known to the world for its automobile industry. Changchun is the home of China's No.1 Auto Making Plant.

In the northeast corner of the city there is a palace which once served as the imperial palace of Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911), who was enthroned during the War of Resistance Against Japan as the emperor of the Japanese-installed Manchukuo state. The palace is composed of an outer court and an inner court, the latter further divided into an east and a west compound. The outer court contains Diligent People Tower (Qinminlou), Broad Perspective Tower (Huaiyuanlou) and Excellence and Happiness Hall (Jialedian). After passing through Complete Harmony Gate (Zhonghemen), tourists can visit Brightness Tower (Jixilou) in the west yard and Mutual Virtue Tower (Tongdedian) in the east yard.