Looking at North Korea from Jilin across the Yalu River, the pastoral scenery is charming. Why do you hang grass curtains on the windows of buildings?

North Korea is our neighbor and a brother who fought together. But most Koreans don't know much about northern China, and they are always full of mystery and unknowns. You can't travel abroad now, so what is this country like? I once filmed some life scenes on the other side of Yalu River in Jilin. Let's have a look.

Yalu River is the boundary river between China and North Korea. This river is well-known because it is "valiant and spirited, crossing the Yalu River", which is also a witness to the friendship between our two countries. It is said that the Yalu River is named after the water is as green as a duck's head. That's what it was called in the Tang Dynasty. It does have a long history.

In the autumn of 2020, I drove in Jilin, from Changbai County along the Yalu River to Ji 'an, and I could see North Korea across the Yalu River. Some river sections are very narrow, the water flow decreases or dries up, and it is actually easy to cross the border. Many photos of villages and cities in North Korea were taken along the way, through which we can "get a glimpse of the whole leopard".

Across the river from Changbai County in Jilin Province is Huishan City, North Korea, which ranks among the best in North Korea, with rows of buildings and bungalows. Daytime is not much different from our small village. Obviously, at night, the contrast is quite big. Changbai town on our side is brightly lit, as bright as day, but the other side is really dark.

There is also some light on the opposite window, but it is very weak. Some brighter ones are also reflected on our side. In the middle of the night, when we turned off the lights, it was completely dark across the street.

Driving all the way, the field scenery in North Korea is still very beautiful. There are green fields along the Yalu River and small forests on the mountain. Many rural houses are scattered along the coast or on the hillside.

The opposite houses are mainly sloping tile houses, and the walls of many houses are painted with bright colors. According to the tour guide, many houses were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and some even were "ponytail houses" built by the Japanese in the 40s and 1950s.

Across a river, we can see that the cultivated land in North Korea is reclaimed according to the mountain situation, and the crops planted are mainly corn and soybeans. But their mountain is still different from ours. In China, if the mountains are like this, they will generally be transformed into terraces, which is convenient for farming and can prevent soil erosion. For example, there are many dry terraces and water terraces in Ningxia and Yunnan.

The scenery along the drive is winding and attractive, and you can also appreciate the exotic customs on the other side. In Ji 'an, Jilin, Manpu, the sixth largest city in North Korea, is across the river. The tour guide said that this is a relatively rich city, because it is the main producing area of coal and copper in North Korea, so the urban construction is relatively modern and there are many tall buildings.

Looking around, we found that their houses had no glass, mainly plastic sheets, and some even hung straw curtains. What's going on here? Because in North Korea, houses are allocated by the state free of charge, as long as you are 18 years old, you can apply to the state for housing allocation. But the house is rationed for free, but the decoration is ignored. In North Korea, the technology of making glass is backward and the resources are scarce, which leads to the high price of glass. Many families can't afford to buy glass, so they have to hang plastic sheets or straw curtains.

Along the way, although there is only one Yalu River, the gap between the two countries is still obvious. Of course, the development of the world is inherently unbalanced.

Although many buildings are painted with bright colors, according to the tour guide, they are all face-saving projects on our side, and the back will not be painted.

Manpu city will play passionate music through loudspeakers, which are very loud, just like the loudspeakers we used to broadcast in villages or factories. The tour guide said that their city is like a big factory. During meals, music and songs like "Unity is Strength" will be played. I hope they can work hard under the inspiration of music and rush to a well-off society as soon as possible. Pay attention to street lamp photography, and we will see the world together.