The far northeastern part of China is commonly referred to as Manchuria. This is from where the last imperial dynasty of China originated, the Qing Dynasty that ruled the country from 1644 to The Xinhai Revolution of 1911. The Qing Dynasty was also known as the Manchus, from the name of Manchuria.
Just as Florida is the place where America meets the Caribbean, Manchuria has traditionally been the place where China has met Korea, Russia and, Japan. But the climate of Manchuria is somewhat colder than that of Florida and the population centers have largely grown in modern times due to railroads.The city of Changchun is not extremely old. Today it is very important in China's auto industry.
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This is around the center of Changchun.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8570697,125.2479828,3a,75y,79.5h,92.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipPfw0fsaC-zyotWLG6XBU5M0Jom8Bguij7Rvy0h!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPfw0fsaC-zyotWLG6XBU5M0Jom8Bguij7Rvy0h%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya278.5-ro0-fo100!7i2508!8i1254
Unlike Changchun, Shenyang is an ancient city. Today, it's basis is industrial but it was once the capital city of the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty to rule China. This is the area around the Catholic church.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7879297,123.4463713,3a,75y,34.5h,104.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNvsNt1RWDnpKpM_26NV2tw6o_40hvTrlwTg-U_!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNvsNt1RWDnpKpM_26NV2tw6o_40hvTrlwTg-U_%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.933861-ya0.5535746-ro-0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120
The following views are around the center of Shenyang.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8082303,123.4249887,3a,75y,91.5h,92.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOJvg8MxLc3FIHCZjA2ITmXWYjdRsqsoIYMcTGB!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOJvg8MxLc3FIHCZjA2ITmXWYjdRsqsoIYMcTGB%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-2.9338646-ya257.5-ro0-fo100!7i8192!8i4096
This is the tall buildings of the central business district of Shenyang.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7580566,123.430275,3a,75y,136.5h,104.93t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMzSLSkAEnVgAi-lOh1bBzGu-mIMCpNroH3LAmY!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMzSLSkAEnVgAi-lOh1bBzGu-mIMCpNroH3LAmY%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-14.933861-ya136.5-ro-0-fo100!7i5472!8i2736
Shenyang is a very old city and there is plenty of traditional Chinese architecture. Skyscrapers look pretty much like skyscrapers anywhere else in the world but here is some traditional architecture so we know for sure that we are in China. You may have noticed that such old places in China are often surrounded by willow trees. But this isn't Canton or Hong Kong, this is the far north of China and it snows here.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8397408,123.4284744,3a,75y,7.5h,96.94t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMEvAhLfq6A2pV08T8UG_za97SAkFkWfkRe4CNP!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMEvAhLfq6A2pV08T8UG_za97SAkFkWfkRe4CNP%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-6.941883-ya4.358164-ro-0-fo100!7i11984!8i5992
Like Changchun, but unlike Shenyang, the city of Harbin is not extremely old but grew into a major city due to railroad connections. Harbin can be described as the place where Russia meets China. It is a Chinese city but there have been a lot of Russian immigrants. After the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War the losing sides in both, Romanov supporters and the Whites, withdrew to Harbin and it became somewhat of a preserve of Romanov times in Russia. Anyone accustomed to the frigid winter temperatures in much of Russia would feel right at home in Harbin.
The first of the following scenes is of St. Sophia Cathedral. This is an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral that appears to be right out of Russia.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7700163,126.6273327,3a,75y,268.62h,100.88t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOZLf63oltQXZrFPk_ZZ2V_2Tbur2zyYIgycuo!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOZLf63oltQXZrFPk_ZZ2V_2Tbur2zyYIgycuo%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya166.61127-ro-0-fo100!7i10752!8i3760
This is the northern area of Harbin.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7993951,126.5366636,3a,75y,130.5h,96.94t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOTgJ1ju9xMfin1MaIN58RBNQSYw52-vhoJQws!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOTgJ1ju9xMfin1MaIN58RBNQSYw52-vhoJQws%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-6.941883-ya164.50002-ro0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120
Here is around the center of Harbin.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7550011,126.6361084,3a,75y,316.5h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOrx2zHSdf1TryWMexE88xlVNyesn-tMG2qJ7l4!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOrx2zHSdf1TryWMexE88xlVNyesn-tMG2qJ7l4%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi1.4574571-ya357.27863-ro-3.2336066-fo100!7i5376!8i2688
Finally, let's remember that Harbin is still in China with some traditional Chinese architecture surrounded by willow trees.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.777499,126.660597,3a,75y,214.5h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNnE0Kixgq-MD6thNRW8UihNVVuV5RFdkjeAHAp!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNnE0Kixgq-MD6thNRW8UihNVVuV5RFdkjeAHAp%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi0-ya255.5-ro-0-fo100!7i8192!8i4096
The Great Wall is a system of walls, rather than a single wall. The idea of a defensive wall across the north of China goes far back into ancient times. Most of the Great Wall today is from the Ming Dynasty of the Late Middle Ages. The Ming Dynasty also built the city walls of Xian that we see today, although Xian is a very old city that was the first capital of a united China.
There have been a lot more walls across the world, down through history, than we see today. What tends to happen is that a wall is built as a defensive measure but, after times change so that the wall is no longer necessary, it becomes a ready source of stone for further building.
The Great Wall likely had an effect on China that went far beyond it's defensive purpose. It's construction, along with other national projects like the Grand Canal, tied China together as a nation in the same way that the pyramids did for Egypt. Great stone monuments and structures are what make the difference between an ancient nation disappearing into the sands of time or still being around today.
The Great Wall may have had a limiting effect on China also. The thought once occurred to me that, if not for the Great Wall, China would likely own Siberia today.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4309295,116.5644804,3a,75y,90.86h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOrHhI2M0P2y11K_43LZfcfCPvQRWp0TwqwfUkg!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOrHhI2M0P2y11K_43LZfcfCPvQRWp0TwqwfUkg%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya26.125317-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352
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