The notheastern part consists of Heilongjiang Jilin and Liaoing Province. Bordering Russia on the north and the DPRK on the eaet, and with Hebei in the south, the region has its own distinctive features.

Northeast China:Late but rapid development

Minority groups have been living in the northeastern part of China for a long time. During he Ming Dynasty, the rulers reinforced the defense along the Great Wall from the Shanhaiguan Pass to Jiayuguan Pass.

They imposed fur-the restrictions on the migration of inland residents to the northeastern areas to shield the minority groups and their culture. It was not until the middle and late rule of the Qing Dynasty (18^th century) that huge numbers of inland mi-grants, encouraged by the rulers, flocked to the northeastern areas. But that didn't change the situation much in northern part of the sparsely populated northeastern areas where stretches of land remained to be developed.

The early 20^th century saw the development of the north-eastern areas reaching its peak with the establishment and growth of modern industries. Huge number of people migrat-ed to the northeast after the introduction of railways and de-velopment of forestry and the industrial and mining sectors, raising the density of population in the region. In the 1950s, China spent huge amounts to develop the northern plains and build a large number of large-scale mechanized farms.

Compared with other inland provinces, Liaoning has a high population density. Heilongiang, on the other hand has a low population density, with Jilin falling in between. The Han people comprise more than 90 percent of the about 100 million people living in the northeast. The other ethnic groups living there include the Manchus, Mongolians, Kore-ans, Dawoers, Elunchuns and the Huis.[1]

The customs followed by people in the northeast are close-ly related with the local natural environment. The northeast-ern people have an outgoing and generous character because they have lived on fertile land with a sparse population for a long time. Traditinal residents, usually have houses with thick walls that keep the rooms warm during cold winter days. Most of them prefer seeping on heated brick beds, drinking liquor and eating fatty meat. Many of those who have migrated to the northest from other parts of the coun-try follow a large part of the inland customs for wedding and festivals.

Northeast China is a region where modern industries de-veloped early, with workers comprising a big percentage of the population in Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin and other big cities. Many residents there enjoy a high quality of life. A large number of people, employed after large-scale industri-al and mining firms were set up, have got a good education and are expert industrial workers.

[1] lce fog, also called as "tree hanging" in China, is a natural phenomenon common in the northeaster areas. The formation of ice fog is closely associated with cold climate and air moisture.