Songhua [key], river of NE China, c.1,150 mi (1,850 km) long, rising in the Changbai Mts., Jilin prov., and flowing generally north, through Heilongjiang prov., to the Amur River on the China-Russia border. It is the northernmost river system in China and forms a main gateway to the S Manchurian plain. The Songhua, which passes the cities of Jilin and Harbin, is navigable for most of its length, and it is an important trade artery in a rich agricultural region. Fengman Dam (completed 1946) was built by the Japanese above Jilin and forms a huge reservoir.
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