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Most of us think of the world as having two Koreas.

There is the political entity we call South Korea - the economic powerhouse of Samsung and Hyundai, with a relatively Western political orientation. It is a land where culture and tradition have become to some extent subservient to capitalism and economic growth, and where a growing percentage of the population has traded the traditional Buddhism and Confucism of their ancestors for Christianity. (My New York Times Almanac reports South Korea as being 48.6% Christian and only 47.7% Buddhist.)

There is also the political pariah we call North Korea. It is the last leftover of the era of profoundly isolationist Communism. It is the unpredictable and inaccessible delusional paranoid of Asia. It is the land where Mao's Cultural Revolution never ended, and where starvation is the first enemy in life.

Those are the two Koreas most people know about.

But there is a third Korea. A Korea where capitalism is only now making inroads. A Korea where Communism never completely destroyed the fabric of society. In many ways, culturally and linguistically it is the Korea of the 1920's. It is relaxed and enchanting. And it welcomes tourists.

The Korea that I am talking about is in Jilin Province, China, and is made up of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Changbai Korean Autonomous County, seven additional smaller autonomous ethnic Korean townships, and five smaller townships with both Korean and ethnic Manchu populations.

China's ethic Koreans comprise one of that nation's largest ethnic minorities.

Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture borders both Russia and North Korea. Over 40% of the prefecture's population is Korean, making them the largest ethnic group there. The prefecture's capital, Yanji City, is a charming and rustic place.

A number of natural attractions exist in the area. Yanbian is situated in the Changbai Mountains. The Xianjingtai National Scenic Area is about 60 miles from Yanji City. The scenic area's mountains include some uncommon geographical features that have resulted from the impact of weather on the granite peaks there.

There is also Tianchi Lake. The lake is in the crater of a volcano's cone in the Changbai Mountains. It is China's largest and highest crater lake. The lake's surface is 2,189 meters above sea level and forms part of the border between China and North Korea.

But the most enchanting attraction of the region is Korean culture. Families still live in wood framed homes with rice straw roofs. Women still wear traditional skirts and short-waisted jackets. Men still wear the traditional wide legged pants. And life is still lived as it once was...

In 1992 China and South Korea normalized relations. South Korean tourists have been traveling to the region since then in growing numbers. Tourists from other destinations soon followed. Yanji City can be reached from Beijing by plane in about 2 hours, or by train in about 13 hours. Especially if you have some interest in Korean culture, this "Third Korea" is among the most interesting destinations in Asia...