Roaming the World (1526): Journey to Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia, Part 26 — Sun Island

In late June 2021, during a trip to Heilongjiang, I visited Sun Island in Harbin. The picture shows the symbol of Sun Island — the Sun Stone.

In the 1980s, the song "On Sun Island" made Harbin's Sun Island famous nationwide, transforming it from an obscure little island into Harbin's most iconic tourist destination. Pictured here is the Sun Island Visitor Center.

Located on the north bank of the Songhua River, across from the bustling old city of Harbin (more precisely, between the old city and the Songbei New District), Sun Island is a renowned summer resort. On May 8, 2007, it was officially designated a national 5A-level tourist attraction by the China National Tourism Administration. The photo shows the 5A-level scenic spot sign.

Sun Island Scenic Area covers 38 square kilometers, with an additional 88 square kilometers planned as a protective buffer zone. It is a river floodplain wetland grassland scenic area. The photo shows a map of the scenic area.

The main avenue on Sun Island bears a striking name: Sun Avenue. It runs from the highway bridge over the Songhua River from the south bank of Harbin to the core scenic area, located north of Shangwuli, stretching 1.6 kilometers. The photo shows the Sun Island archway on Sun Avenue.

Various uniquely shaped buildings line Sun Avenue, including the Heilongjiang Science and Technology Museum, Heilongjiang Science Hall, Heilongjiang Television City, and Harbin Polarland. The photo shows a distant view of Harbin Polarland.

Visiting Sun Island requires taking the scenic area's shuttle bus. At the time of our visit, there were six stops: 1. Sun Gate (starting point), 2. Sunbathing Terrace, 3. Sun Waterfall, 4. Flower Garden, 5. Sun Lake – Water Pavilion Sky, and 6. Return to Sun Gate. The photo shows the parking lot near the visitor center.

Sun Island Scenic Area is surrounded by clear waters and boasts charming scenery, featuring simple, rugged, and natural wild landscapes. It is the only urban river floodplain wetland grassland ecological tourist area in China. Photo taken on Sun Island.

The core scenic area covers 17 square kilometers, with 70 scenic spots. Among them, the most representative include Sun Stone, Sun Gate, Water Pavilion Sky, Deer Park, Squirrel Island, Sun Waterfall, Harbin-Niigata Friendship Park, Copper Piano, Russian Style Town, Russian Art Museum, Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army Memorial Park, and Sun Bathing Beach. Photo taken on Sun Island.

The Sun Stone, originally called "Three Stones," is a massive rock 7.5 meters long, 4.3 meters wide, 2 meters high, and weighing 150 tons. It is the largest of three stones found in a river near the Xiquanyan Reservoir in Acheng's Xiaoling area. On June 15, 2003, this beautiful stone was transported to Sun Island to serve as its guardian stone. Naturally formed, it is over a thousand years old. The front of the Sun Stone is engraved with the three characters "Sun Island" (太嶼島) in the calligraphy of Zhao Puchu, the strokes bold and powerful, perfectly complementing the ochre rock.

Sun Gate is located at the main entrance of Sun Island. It has a total length of 74 meters, with the main gate 12.5 meters high, curving outward toward the Sun Stone. The curves of the four small arches beside the main gate resemble surging waves of the Songhua River, supporting the main gate like a rising sun. The central arched gate and the Sun Stone are aligned on the same axis.

Viewed from above, a winding small river encircles Sun Island, running through the entire scenic area, with dense branches spreading like a spider web across the island, covering about 10% of the total area. The photo shows the Jinshui River after high water.

Sun Island Scenic Area consists of grasslands, shrub belts, rivers, and floodplain wetlands. Amidst the lush greenery, every step reveals a new view. The photo shows a flower bed within the scenic area. Another photo shows a shaded path.

The second stop of the shuttle bus is Sunbathing Terrace, located on the east side of the embankment, covering an area of about 4 hectares.

This is the giant cauldron in front of Sunbathing Terrace.

The Sunbathing Terrace platform has a diameter of 45 meters and features a large circular sculpture group about sun legends.

The relief on Sunbathing Terrace tells an ancient myth — Houyi Shooting the Suns. Legend has it that in ancient times, there were ten suns in the sky, causing the earth to crack and people to suffer. Houyi drew his bow and shot down nine suns, leaving only one to warm the world.

The central pillar on the terrace represents the current sun in the sky, while the nine surrounding pillars symbolize the nine suns shot down by Houyi. Visitors can enjoy the lake breeze, gaze into the distance, and feel the "vast, grand, and magnificent" natural scenery of Sun Island.

The third stop is Sun Waterfall, covering about 1.5 hectares, 132 meters long, and 7 meters high. It is an artificial waterfall.

Sun Waterfall consists of an artificial lake and a rockery, called Sun Lake and Sun Mountain. There are bridges and pavilions on the lake, and koi fish are bred in the water.

On Sun Mountain, an artificial waterfall formed by four streams cascades down, named Sun Waterfall.

The waterfall is segmented, sometimes creating heavy curtains of rain and rushing torrents, sometimes forming overlapping water screens, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the magnificent scenery while relaxing.

Around Sun Waterfall are reed marshes, with a zigzag bridge crossing them.

Sun Grass Hut is an open小屋 in the wetland in front of the waterfall. Visitors can enjoy the lake view from afar, listen to the rain, sip tea, and fully experience the stunning waterfall corridor.

Behind the waterfall is a cave, forming a walkway with stalactites and stalagmites inside.

The corridor features simulated natural karst caves, winding paths through dim lights, complementing imitation rock carvings, rock formations, stone bells, and stalagmites.

Inside the karst cave, there is a water curtain window, clearly imitating the Huangguoshu Waterfall.

The third stop is the Flower Garden, located north of Gate 1, covering 7 hectares.

The Flower Garden has a total design area of 9,589 square meters, making it the largest flower base in Northeast China's three provinces.

The garden contains 88 varieties and 108 strains of flowers, including peonies and herbaceous peonies, in 18 color tones, with a total of 248,266 plants, including 39 new varieties (strains).

The Flower Garden is divided into seven areas: Peony Area, Fragrance Area, Waterscape Area, Rainbow Area, Hundred Flowers Area, Sun Area, and Natural Area. Each area features representative flowers, showcasing different landscape characteristics.

The garden is shaded by green trees and filled with blooming flowers.

There are also small bridges and flowing water.

Blooming flowers in the garden.

Few visitors in the garden.

The fourth stop is Sun Lake. The photo shows a cleaner by the lakeside.

Some students are sketching by the lake.

More students sketching by the lake.

This artificial lake is Sun Lake, and the rockery is Sun Mountain. Centered on Sun Lake, Sun Island has built five interconnected lake groups.

The lakeside features weeping willows as delicate as silk and beautiful sculptures.

The main scene of Water Pavilion Sky covers 1,515 square meters. Built by the water using modern gardening techniques, it consists of three parts: a long corridor, a side corridor, and a square pavilion. The photo shows a distant view of the Water Pavilion Sky dock.

The pavilions and bridges on Sun Lake create a picturesque scene, with reflections falling into the lake, forming a landscape of "pavilions and bridges reflecting willows" that is truly admirable.

A wisteria corridor by Sun Lake.

The fifth stop is Water Pavilion Sky. Built in 1980, it is known as the first scenic spot of Sun Island. The four characters "Water Pavilion Sky" (水阁云天) were inscribed by former provincial governor Chen Lei.