Yuan Sheng Ju (源盛居)

Yuan Sheng Ju (源盛居) is a hotpot restaurant at No. 717 Shengtai Street in Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province in northeast China, close to the International Convention Center. It is rated 4.4 on Trip.com and is known for copper-pot lamb hotpot, the traditional charcoal-heated shuabao style that is associated with northern Chinese cooking and suits the long Changchun winter. The cuisine follows the Dongbei hotpot tradition: hand-sliced lamb is swished briefly in a simmering pot, then dipped in a thick sesame paste sauce (麻酱), often accompanied by fermented-cabbage broth (酸菜锅底), tofu, noodles and vegetables. Signature items include the copper-pot hand-sliced lamb (铜锅涮羊肉), the sesame dipping sauce and the pickled-cabbage broth base, which gives the pot a tangy, savory character distinct from the spicy Sichuan style. The dining room is a communal, group-oriented space where tables are built around the central pot, so meals are slow, social and warm; the atmosphere is lively rather than formal and no dress code applies. Steam, conversation and the clatter of shared pots make the noise level moderate to high at peak times. There is no notable wine programme; diners typically drink tea, soft drinks, beer or baijiu with the meal. Typical spending is CNY 70-130 per person (roughly USD 10-19), with the total depending on how many plates of lamb and side items are ordered. Reservations are advisable for winter evenings and for groups, since hotpot is a favored cold-weather meal, while walk-ins are accepted off-peak. Hours are listed as roughly 10:00AM to 9:00PM daily and should be confirmed on Dianping or Trip.com. The restaurant lies in the Shengtai Street area on the city's southeast side, so a taxi or ride-hailing car with the Chinese address (生态大街717号) is the simplest way to arrive. Visitors who are unfamiliar with hotpot can ask staff to explain how long to cook the lamb and how to mix the dipping sauce.