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Tonghua

Northeast China · Jilin

Tonghua

Updated 2026-10-21

Tonghua Travel Guide: Ji'an, the General's Tomb and the Goguryeo Capitals

Tonghua is the gateway to Ji'an, a small city on the Yalu River facing North Korea, which was the capital of the Goguryeo kingdom for more than four centuries. Its stepped stone General's Tomb, the 6.39 m Gwanggaeto Stele and the walls of Wandu Mountain City are part of a World Heritage site listed in 2004. The three main Ji'an sites share a combined ticket (¥70 in 2026 listings) and open 08:30–16:15. Since September 2025 the Shenyang–Baihe high-speed line has put Tonghua about an hour from Shenyang North, and Changbai Mountain an hour beyond. Sleep in Ji'an, not Tonghua, if the tombs are why you came.

Getting in and where to stay

Tonghua station is on the Shenyang–Baihe high-speed railway, opened on 28 September 2025. The fastest trains reach Shenyang North in about 1 hour and Changbaishan station in about 1 hour; Beijing to Changbai Mountain is a little over four hours. Ji'an is a county-level city under Tonghua on the Meihekou–Ji'an railway, but trains there are few and slow. Most visitors take a bus or a hired car from Tonghua, so check the day's times.

Stay in Ji'an for the archaeology; the sites are all within a few kilometres of town. Stay in Tonghua only if you are passing through on the rail line.

Places worth visiting

The General's Tomb

Seven-tiered stepped stone pyramid of the General's Tomb in Ji'an under a blue sky
The General's Tomb from the south. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Prcshaw, CC BY-SA 4.0.

About 5 km northeast of Ji'an, on the slope of Longshan, the "Pyramid of the East" is the best-preserved large Goguryeo stepped stone tomb. It is usually attributed to King Jangsu, the 20th king, and dates to around the 5th century. It has seven receding tiers of dressed granite, 1,146 stones in all, about 32 m square and 13 m high, with a capstone of more than 50 tonnes. Eleven of the original twelve huge buttress stones still lean against its sides. The burial chamber sits at the third tier and once held two coffin platforms, for a king and queen.

Gwanggaeto Stele and the King's Tomb

General's Tomb seen across flower beds and a paved approach in Ji'an
The approach to the General's Tomb. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by EditQ, CC BY-SA 4.0.

King Jangsu set up this stele in 414 for his father, King Gwanggaeto. It is a single block of volcanic stone, about 6.39 m high, carved on all four sides with 1,775 characters in a script between clerical and regular, of which 141 are now illegible. It tells the Goguryeo founding myth and the king's campaigns, and it is one of the key written sources for early Korean and Northeast Asian history. The large tomb nearby is usually identified as Gwanggaeto's. The stele is now protected inside a pavilion.

Wandu Mountain City and Guonei City

Corner of the General's Tomb showing its huge buttress stones and stepped granite courses
Buttress stones on the General's Tomb. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Prcshaw, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Goguryeo moved its capital to Guonei City, inside modern Ji'an, in 3 CE and stayed until 427, when King Jangsu moved it to Pyongyang. Wandu Mountain City, about 2.5 km west of town, was its fortified twin: a mountain citadel that the court retreated to in wartime. It was sacked by the Wei in 244 and by the Former Yan in 342. Inside the walls, which climb to 676 m, are palace terraces, a watch platform and, below the slope, a field of stone tombs. Stretches of Guonei City's stone walls still run between modern buildings in Ji'an.

Tickets and hours

  • The combined ticket for the General's Tomb, the Gwanggaeto Stele and Wandu Mountain City was ¥70 (students ¥45) in 2026 listings; single sites ¥30.
  • The sites open 08:30–16:15 daily.
  • A 2025 high-speed-ticket discount on the combined pass has ended; check current offers.

When to come

May to October is best: green hills, and autumn colours along the Yalu in late September and October. Winters are long and very cold, with snow on the tomb steps.

Eating in Tonghua and Ji'an

Expect northeastern mountain cooking (stews, wild greens, river fish) and Korean-style dishes such as cold noodles and grilled meats near the border. Ji'an's ginseng, ice wine and chestnuts all carry national geographical-indication status, and Tonghua is known for wine made from wild mountain grapes.

How to arrange the route

  1. Day 1: high-speed train to Tonghua, bus or car to Ji'an, evening walk by the Yalu.
  2. Day 2: General's Tomb and the Gwanggaeto Stele in the morning, Wandu Mountain City after lunch, and Guonei City walls on the way back.
  3. Day 3: back to Tonghua and on to Baishan and Changbai Mountain, or to Changchun.

What to cut if short on time

With one day in Ji'an, do the General's Tomb and the stele, which are close together, and skip Wandu Mountain City. Do not try to see Ji'an as a same-day return from Shenyang without a car.

Things to confirm before you go

  • Combined ticket price and hours at the Goguryeo site office.
  • Bus or train times between Tonghua and Ji'an.
  • Border-area rules: carry your passport, and do not photograph military posts along the Yalu.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to see the Goguryeo sites in Ji'an?

One full day covers the three main sites; a day and a half is comfortable.

Can I see North Korea from Ji'an?

Yes. The town of Manpo lies across the Yalu River, and Ji'an is one of China's three main border crossings with North Korea.

Tonghua or Yanji?

Tonghua and Ji'an for Goguryeo archaeology; Yanji for Korean-Chinese city culture farther east.

Sources

The facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved September 21, 2026, and rechecked on October 21, 2026.

  1. Tonghua https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonghua
  2. Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Cities_and_Tombs_of_the_Ancient_Koguryo_Kingdom
  3. 集安市 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/集安市
  4. 长寿王陵 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/将军坟
  5. 好太王碑 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/好太王碑
  6. 丸都山城 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/丸都山城
  7. 国内城 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/国内城
  8. Goguryeo site opening hours (Ji'an Goguryeo scenic area company) http://gaogouli-tour.com/index.php?c=show&id=184
  9. Shenyang–Baihe high-speed railway opening (China Railway, September 2025) http://www.china-railway.com.cn/xwzx/zhxw/202509/t20250929_148884.html

Ticket prices are 2026 listings; check the official notice before you go.

All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses or public domain; re-use requires attribution.

  • tonghua-general-tomb.jpg from File:South of Tomb of the General.jpg, by Prcshaw, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • tonghua-tomb-side.jpg from File:Tomb of King Jangsu 2.jpg, by EditQ, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • tonghua-tomb-south.jpg from File:Southeast of Tomb of the General.jpg, by Prcshaw, CC BY-SA 4.0