Songyuan

Songyuan (Chinese: 松原; pinyin: Sōngyuán) is a prefecture-level city in west-central Jilin province, China. Even though the present city of Songyuan is predominantly modern in appearance, the area has a long history dating back to the Neolithic age. The city was part of the ancient Buyeo Kingdom 2000 years ago, as well as Balhae 1000 years ago. During much of the Qing era, an important military and administrative center, known as Boduna (伯都納) was located in the Songyuan area, on the right bank of the Sungari (Songhua) River, in what is today the Ninjiang District of the city. The name was transcribed by the Europeans as Bodune, Po-tu-no, or Petuna. The Boduna fortress was originally constructed in 1693, some 25 li (15 km) east of today's Songyuan central city area. In the late Qing, the administrative center moved to Xincheng (新城, "New city") - the name still preserved by the Xincheng Township of the Ninjiang District, in the part of the Songyan's central urbank area on the right bank of the Sungari. As of the early 20th century Xincheng was the capital of a prefecture within the then Jilin Province, and had the population of around 30,000.[4]