Harbin (哈尔滨)

1. Introduction

Harbin (Manchu: ᡥᠠᠯᠪᡳᠨ, Möllendorff transliteration: Halbin), abbreviated as Ha Port or Ha City, also known as the Ice City of the North and the Moscow of the East, is located in the northern part of the Northeast China Plain. It is the capital of Heilongjiang Province, a sub-provincial city of the People's Republic of China, and an important regional central city in Northeast China. Harbin serves as the political, economic, cultural, and foreign exchange center of northern Northeast China. It is also the largest megacity among China's provincial capitals in terms of jurisdictional area and ranks third in terms of registered population within its jurisdiction. The city's jurisdictional area covers 10,198 square kilometers. The Municipal People's Government is located at No. 1 Shiji Avenue, Songbei District. Harbin is home to 45 ethnic minorities and hosts a variety of religious cultures, making it the only city in China where Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Christianity, and Islam coexist.

Situated in the southern part of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin experiences a mid-temperate continental monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of only 5.2°C. Winters are severely cold and long, while summers are mild and short. It is a renowned destination for winter ice and snow tourism and a summer retreat. Famous for its annual International Ice and Snow Festival and rich European-style ambiance, Harbin is also one of China's first batch of outstanding tourist cities and a nationally recognized historical and cultural city.

Due to its geographical location, Harbin served as a bridgehead for Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union in connecting with China and the Far East during the first half of the 20th century. It was also a crucial international commercial and trade hub in northern China and one of China's earliest internationalized cities in the 1920s. To this day, Harbin's urban architectural style remains deeply influenced by this history, with various European-style buildings brought by early Russian, Eastern European, and Jewish immigrants scattered throughout the city. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Harbin gradually transformed into a central city integrating both industry and commerce. Today, Harbin continues to play a significant role in international trade and serves as the permanent rotating host city for the China-Russia Expo on the Chinese side. Known as the pearl of the Eurasian Land Bridge, Harbin is a vital hub for the First Eurasian Land Bridge and air corridors. According to the Heilongjiang and Northeast Inner Mongolia Border Development and Opening Plan approved by the State Council in 2013, Harbin is designated as the central hub for border development and opening, a regional central city in Northeast Asia, and a core city in the northern part of the Harbin-Changchun urban agglomeration.

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2. History

2.1 Early History

Human activity in the Harbin area dates back to the late Paleolithic Age, approximately 22,000 years ago. During the Bronze Age around 3,000 years ago, the present-day Harbin region was part of the distribution area of the Baijinbao culture, the earliest ancient civilization in the Heilongjiang region.

During the periods of the Fuyu, Balhae, and Liao dynasties, the present-day Harbin area was under the jurisdiction of the Fuyu Kingdom, the Balhae Kingdom's Mohe Prefecture, and the Liao Dynasty's Tokyo Circuit. In 1114 AD, the Jurchen leader Wanyan Aguda (also known as Wanyan Min) led troops against the Liao, initiating the battles of "Ningjiangzhou" and "Chuhedian," where he decisively defeated a Liao army of 100,000. In 1115, he declared himself emperor, established the Jin Dynasty with the era name "Shouguo," and set the capital at Huining Prefecture (historically known as the Supreme Capital Huining Prefecture of Jin). The present-day Harbin area thus became the capital region of the Jin Supreme Capital. After Aguda's death, Emperor Taizong of Jin, Wanyan Sheng, constructed the capital city here, drawing inspiration from the architectural styles of cities like Bianjing and Kaifeng of the Northern Song Dynasty. In 1153, Wanyan Liang moved the capital to Yanjing (modern-day Beijing) and in 1157 ordered the destruction of all palaces within the Supreme Capital. In 1173, the Supreme Capital was re-established as a secondary capital.

During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, the Harbin area became the territory of the family of Genghis Khan's third brother, Wochi, and later fell under the jurisdiction of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission. In the late Ming and early Qing periods, the Jurchens used surviving building materials from the old city to construct the Alcuka Fortress on the same site. The ruins of this city have now been developed into the Jin Supreme Capital History Museum, which underwent renovation in 2005.

2.2 From the Early and Mid-Qing Dynasty to Before the City's Establishment

After the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, following the migration of the Bannermen and their families into the interior, the land in the Harbin urban area became desolate. During the reigns of the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors, as part of the "tuntian shibian" (military agricultural colonies to secure the frontier) plan, a 5-kilometer strip along the river from the Kucha River (commonly known as the Grain Transport River) to the Ashi River on the southern bank of the present-day Harbin area was first designated as pastureland. A horse ranch was established at Moli Street, followed by the construction of Xiaogaha and Dagaha (in the present-day Xiangfang Chenggaozi area) and Xigaha (in the present-day Dongli Xusheng Street area). The pastureland was expanded eastward, and a naval camp was set up on the northern bank (in the present-day Shuangkoumian area of Qianjin Township). In the 21st year of the Qianlong reign (1756), the Alcuka Deputy Lieutenant General was established in Acheng, with Harbin under its jurisdiction, belonging to the Jilin General.

In 1763, a Wang family that had migrated from Taigu County, Taiyuan Prefecture, Shanxi, to Lalin, took over from "Bannermen from the capital" the official fishing rights (including the Harbin fishing grounds) for a section of the Songhua River upstream from Yandun Lazi to downstream at the mouth of the Ashi River. This area, also known as the "Lalin Ten Nets," was responsible for supplying tribute fish and paying annual taxes. This marks the first recorded mention of the Harbin area in official archives and documents.

In 1777, the local Qing government issued a permit to a civilian named Fu Chengde, allowing him to operate a ferry at the Harbin crossing with one ferry boat. This is the first recorded instance of the official establishment of the Harbin ferry crossing in archives.

In the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, with the implementation of the "Jingqi Yiken" (relocation of idle Bannermen from the capital for land reclamation) and "Kaijin Fanghuang" (lifting of the ban on wasteland reclamation) policies, the Harbin area gradually became more populated. In the 20th year of the Jiaqing reign (1815), to resettle "idle Bannermen from the capital," the "Residential Settlement System Plan for Jingqi Yiken Centered on Shuangcheng Fort" was formulated. From the 5th to the 27th year of the Daoguang reign (1825-1847), three towns and 24 Banner camps (120 Banner villages) were built using felled timber. Among these, there were 13 Banner villages within the present-day Harbin urban area, belonging to the right-wing camps of the Dongguan Office.

The name "Harbin" first appeared in historical records in the 3rd year of the Tongzhi reign (1864). According to the archives of the Heilongjiang General's Office: "Last year's ships from Mergen wintered at Harbin; this year they have been retrieved. This is reported for the record." The origin of the name "Harbin" remains debated. Various theories have been proposed, including: "Manchu language theory of a fish-drying ground," "Manchu language theory of a sheep shoulder blade," "Manchu language theory of 'Hale Feiyan' and 'Bian'," "Jurchen language theory of 'Alejin'," "Jurchen language theory of 'swan'," "Mongolian language theory of 'flat land'," "Tungusic language theory of 'official ferry crossing'," "Russian language theory of 'large grave'," and "personal name theory."

After the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860), the Jilin and Heilongjiang General jurisdictions implemented policies of "relaxing restrictions" and "recruiting settlers," leading to population growth and economic development. By the end of the 19th century, there were over a dozen villages within the present-day Harbin urban area, with a population of about 30,000. Agriculture, fishing, commerce, trade, and handicrafts emerged. Distilleries and fodder factories were successively established, forming non-agricultural population settlements like Fujiadian and Youfangtun. Harbin gradually became an important ferry crossing on the Songhua River, where a customs house was set up, showing a trend of transition from a natural economy to an urbanized commodity economy.

2.3 The Founding of the City

On June 3, 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty), the Russian Empire forced the Qing government to sign the "Sino-Russian Treaty of Alliance Against Hostilities," officially published in 1921 and also known as the "Sino-Russian Secret Treaty." Through this, Russia obtained the right to construct the Chinese Eastern Railway, building the main line from Manzhouli to Suifenhe within Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Chinese Eastern Railway was held in the summer of 1897. On April 24, 1898, a special Russian survey team selected the triangular area between the Songhua River and its tributary, the Ashi River—the present-day Harbin urban area—and began urban planning, designating Harbin as the hub and construction center for the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER). On June 9, 1898, Russia decided to establish the Railway Engineering Bureau in Harbin, which began operations immediately, marking the beginning of Harbin's establishment as a city. Russia opened the Harbin branch of the Russo-Chinese Bank and established institutions such as a chamber of commerce, schools, and a meteorological station. On July 14, 1903, the entire Chinese Eastern Railway line was officially opened to traffic. On November 1 of the same year, passenger train service between Harbin and Vladivostok commenced. Russian and other European immigrants began moving to Harbin in large numbers, and Harbin subsequently became the largest waterway transportation hub and commercial port in Northeast China at the time.

2.3.1 Impact of the Northeast Plague

During the Northeast Plague of 1910–1911, the first plague patient appeared in the Russian concession of Harbin on October 27, 1910. On November 7, a plague patient also appeared in Harbin's Fujiadian. Subsequently, approximately 5,000 people died from the plague in Fujiadian within three months. By early December 1910, the daily death toll in Harbin reached over one hundred. A merchant returning from Harbin to Changchun transmitted the plague to his family, causing about 2,000 deaths locally.

The Northeast Plague not only caused massive loss of life but also severely impacted the economy. In Harbin, the collection of customs duties was affected due to reduced goods. Schools, factories, and mines also suspended classes and halted production.

2.3.2 "Four-City Divided Administration"

During the late Qing and early Republic of China periods, due to competition among multiple forces, the administrative jurisdiction over the present-day Harbin urban area changed frequently, gradually forming a situation of divided administration among the Eastern Provinces Special District, Jilin Province, Heilongjiang Province, and the Russians. This situation lasted until July 1933, when the "four cities merged into one," ending the separate administrations of the Harbin Special City of the Eastern Provinces Special District, the Harbin City of the Eastern Provinces Special District Municipal Administration Bureau, the Binjiang City and County of Jilin Province, and the Songpu Municipal Bureau of Heilongjiang Province.

In 1898, Tsarist Russia renamed the Harbin City within the Chinese Eastern Railway concession area "Songhuajiang City." In September 1900, the Chief Engineer of the Chinese Eastern Railway, Y. I. Yugovich, illegally implemented extraterritoriality in Harbin and along the CER line, establishing the Harbin Police Bureau to handle judicial affairs. In 1903, Tsarist Russia's "Songhuajiang City" reverted to the name Harbin City.

In October 1905, the Qing government established the Binjiang Customs Circuit in the present-day Daowai District, subordinate to the Jilin General. On January 14, 1907 (the 1st day of the 12th lunar month of the 32nd year of Guangxu), the Qing court decided to "open Harbin as a commercial port." On January 23, the Jilin General approved the establishment of the Binjiang Subprefecture, subordinate to the Harbin Customs Circuit. On April 18, the first Binjiang Subprefecture River Defense Assistant Magistrate began using his official seal in Fujiadian (present-day Daowai).

On November 23 of the same year, the Director of the Chinese Eastern Railway Administration, D. L. Horvath, announced the illegal "Harbin Municipal Council Statute," designating the Futou District (present-day Daoli), New Town Street (present-day Nangang), and a 7-square-kilometer area of Xiangfang District as the city area under the council's jurisdiction.

After the establishment of the Republic of China, Jilin Province changed the Binjiang Subprefecture to Binjiang County in March 1913 and established the Binjiang Circuit in 1914.

During the Russian Revolution in 1917, Russian workers and soldiers in the Chinese Eastern Railway concession area established the Harbin Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

In December 1919, the Heilongjiang Provincial Office decided to establish the Majiachuan Estuary Municipal Bureau in the area north of the river in present-day Harbin, originally under the jurisdiction of Hulan County, Heilongjiang Province. On February 1 the following year, it was renamed the Songbei Municipal Bureau.

In September 1920, the Chinese Beiyang government decided to reclaim administrative rights over the Chinese Eastern Railway concession area and established the Eastern Provinces Special District Municipal Administration Bureau to manage local administration along the CER line. In 1921, the Harbin City of the Eastern Provinces Special District Municipal Administration Bureau was established (adjacent to the area managed by the Russian Harbin Municipal Council and Board). On November 24, 1922, the Headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Northeastern Provinces announced that all military, police, foreign affairs, administrative, and judicial matters within the Eastern Provinces Special District would be supervised and controlled by the Commander of the Railway Guard Corps, who also served as the Administrative Chief of the Eastern Provinces Special District. On March 1, 1923, the Administrative Chief's Office of the Eastern Provinces Special District was formally established, located in the Futou District of Harbin (in present-day Daoli District).

On September 1, 1925, Heilongjiang Province changed the Songbei Municipal Bureau to the Songpu Municipal Management Office, which was soon renamed the Songpu Municipal Bureau.On March 30, 1926, the Municipal Administration Bureau of the Eastern Special District issued a proclamation abolishing the Harbin City Council and announcing the establishment of the Harbin Provisional Autonomous Committee. On June 17, the "Provisional Charter for the Autonomy of Harbin Special City" was promulgated and implemented, designating the Port District and New Street as the jurisdiction of Harbin Special City, while the remaining areas—Majia Gou, Old Harbin (now Xiangfang), Xin'anbu (Pianlianzi), District Eight, Guxiang, Zhengyang River, etc.—remained under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Administration Bureau of the Eastern Special District, referred to as Harbin City under the Municipal Administration Bureau of the Eastern Special District. In September 1926, China established the Harbin Special City (first) Autonomous Council and Municipal Bureau, reclaiming administrative power long controlled by Russians.

On December 1, 1927, Jilin Province merged the Binjiang County Road Engineering Bureau and the Health Bureau to establish the Binjiang Municipal Office. In February 1929, in accordance with the new regulations of the Nationalist Government for the establishment of administrative bureaus, the Binjiang County Office was renamed the Binjiang County Government, and the Binjiang Municipal Preparatory Office was established, designating Fujiadian, Sijiazi, Quanhe, and Taiping Bridge as the jurisdiction of Binjiang City. On May 1, 1929, the Binjiang Municipal Office was renamed the Binjiang Municipal Preparatory Office, continuing to coexist with Harbin City while implementing separate governance for the city and county. Binjiang County governed the rural areas originally under the county's jurisdiction.

By this time, the present-day Harbin urban area had formed a situation of coexistence and separate governance among four cities and one county. At that time, the present-day Harbin urban area was divided into Harbin Special City of the Eastern Special District (governing the Port District and New Street), Harbin City under the Municipal Administration Bureau of the Eastern Special District (governing Majia Gou, Old Harbin, Xin'anbu, District Eight, Guxiang, Zhengyang River, etc.), Songpu City under the jurisdiction of Heilongjiang Province (governing the present-day Jiangbei area), and Binjiang City under the jurisdiction of Jilin Province (governing Fujiadian, North Riverside, Sijiazi, and Quanhe), as well as Binjiang County (governing the rural areas originally under the county's jurisdiction).

2.3.4 Diverse Immigration

After the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Russian influence in Harbin weakened, and 160,000 immigrants from 33 countries, including the United States, Germany, Poland, Japan, and France, moved to Harbin. Starting in 1907, 16 countries successively established consulates in Harbin and set up thousands of industrial, commercial, and financial enterprises, making Harbin an international economic, financial, and transportation hub in Northeast Asia. Chinese people in Harbin also established enterprises, including brewing, food, and textile industries. Harbin thus became the commercial center and international trading port of Northeast China, further attracting more people to "explore" the city. In the 1913 census of the Chinese Eastern Railway zone, the ethnic population in the Harbin area under the railway's jurisdiction was recorded as follows: 34,313 Russians, 23,537 Chinese (including Han, Manchu, etc.), 5,032 Jews, 2,556 Poles, 696 Japanese, 564 Germans, 234 Tatars, 218 Latvians, 183 Georgians, 172 Estonians, 142 Lithuanians, 124 Armenians, as well as Crimean Karaites, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, and some Western Europeans. The total population of the city was 68,549, comprising 53 ethnicities speaking 45 languages. By 1917, Harbin's population exceeded 100,000, with only 11.5% born locally and the rest being immigrants.

In December 1918, during the Russian Civil War, thousands of White Russian officers and soldiers and over 100,000 Russian exiles fled to Harbin, turning the city into a large-scale center for Jewish and White Russian exiles and the largest Russian community outside Russia. White Russians in Harbin established dozens of Russian schools and published Russian magazines and newspapers. In the early 1920s, the Russian population in Harbin exceeded 120,000, reaching its historical peak. In July 1929, amid the "revolutionary diplomacy" atmosphere of the Nanjing Nationalist Government, Zhang Xueliang led his troops to occupy the Chinese Eastern Railway, forcibly reclaiming the management rights of the railway, which were then held by the Soviet Union. The Soviet army quickly responded, attacking the Northeast Army from September to November, regaining control of the area, and signing the Khabarovsk Protocol with local Northeast authorities on December 22, forcing China to agree to the joint Sino-Soviet management of the railway. This event is known as the Sino-Soviet Conflict.

2.4 Manchukuo Period

After the Mukden Incident, the Japanese army began advancing northward to attack various regions of Manchuria. After the Jiangqiao Campaign, the Japanese army occupied Qiqihar and assembled forces in Qiqihar and Changchun, preparing to attack Harbin from the northwest and south. Simultaneously, the air force launched fierce airstrikes on Harbin, occupying the city on February 5, 1932.

During the Manchukuo period, in July 1933, the original Harbin Special City of the Eastern Special District, Harbin City under the Municipal Administration Bureau of the Eastern Special District, Binjiang City of Jilin Province, and Songpu Municipal Bureau of Heilongjiang Province were merged into one, forming Harbin Special City (second) directly under the Manchukuo government. An autonomous committee was established, and the entire territory of Binjiang County in Jilin Province, 31 villages in Acheng County, and 10 villages in Hulan County in Heilongjiang Province were incorporated. The Eastern Special District, except for the areas incorporated into Harbin Special City, was renamed the North Manchuria Special District. The 1934 census of Harbin Special City recorded a population of 500,526. In 1935, after Japan purchased the rights and interests of the Soviet-owned Chinese Eastern Railway, the North Manchuria Special District was abolished, and its jurisdiction was incorporated into Harbin Special City, expanding its area to 930 square kilometers. In 1937, the system was reformed to establish Binjiang Province, with Harbin as its capital.

In December 1934, Shun Akikusu (third from the right in the front row), assistant officer of the Harbin Special Agency of the Japanese Kwantung Army, was responsible for collaborating with the Russian Fascist Party to establish the White Russian Affairs Bureau, tasked with gathering intelligence on the Soviet Union and assisting authorities in monitoring and contacting Russian residents within the jurisdiction. The photo shows the dinner for the establishment ceremony of the Harbin headquarters, with Konstantin Rodzaevsky (second from the left in the front row), leader of the Russian Fascist Party, appointed as the head of the Second Department (Culture and Education) of the bureau.

The Japanese army used Harbin as an important military research base. Starting in 1934, Unit 731 was established, publicly known as the "Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army." The main facilities of Unit 731 were completed in 1935 in Pingfang District, then 24 kilometers from the city center. Approximately 3,000 to 12,000 people died from human experiments conducted there, a figure that does not include deaths caused by Unit 731's experiments in other places. About 70% of the victims were Chinese soldiers and civilians, with the remaining 30% being Russians. In exchange for their work on biochemical weapons research for the United States during the post-war Cold War, most members of Unit 731 were secretly released before the Tokyo Trials with the permission of Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan. Another 12 were tried in Khabarovsk and later repatriated in 1956. In 1945, after Japan's defeat, the Japanese army blew up and destroyed buildings and facilities inside and outside the military base. The Unit 731 site is currently the world's largest cluster of bacterial warfare ruins.

In January 1932, the Communist Party of China's Manchuria Provincial Committee moved to Harbin. Zhao Shangzhi, Li Zhaolin, Yang Jingyu, and others led the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army in conducting anti-Japanese activities in Harbin and the surrounding areas. In 1938, the Comintern ordered the dissolution of the Communist Party of China's Manchuria Provincial Committee. The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was reorganized and directly led by the Comintern, retreating to the Soviet Far East after the signing of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact and reorganized into the International Red Army Special Independent 88th Brigade. In 1935, after the Soviet Union sold the Chinese Eastern Railway to Japan, approximately 100,000 Russians withdrew from Harbin and returned to the Soviet Union. At the time, the Soviet Union was in the midst of the Great Purge. Nikolai Yezhov, head of the Soviet People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, labeled "all former employees of the Chinese Eastern Railway and those returning from Manchuria" as "Harbinites" and subjected them to purges and persecution. Among them, 48,133 were arrested upon their return on charges of being "Japanese spies," with 30,992 executed and the remaining 17,000 almost all exiled. Survivors were rehabilitated in 1956. By the late 1930s, the Russian population in Harbin had dwindled to around 30,000. During the Manchukuo period, Russian influence in Harbin was dominated by the "Russian Fascist Party," which cooperated with the Japanese side, implementing anti-Bolshevik and anti-Semitic policies. Most of Harbin's Jewish descendants moved to Tianjin, Shanghai, and other places, eventually emigrating abroad. Later, some Jews persecuted by the German Nazis also fled to Harbin.

2.5 Post-World War II

On August 18, 1945, the Soviet Red Army captured the city. In late September, following the instructions of the Northeast Administrative Committee under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Democratic Government of Songjiang Province was established in Harbin. On October 1 of the same year, under Soviet control, the Binjiang Provincial Government was established in Harbin. On January 12, 1946, the Nationalist Government took over the Binjiang Provincial Government in Harbin and renamed the original Binjiang Province as Songjiang Province. The Republic of China designated Harbin as a municipality directly under the central government in 1946 and planned to establish Harbin Special City (third) under the new provincial system for Northeast China in 1947, directly under the Nationalist Government. However, the Nationalist Government never truly controlled Harbin thereafter.On April 28, 1946, the city was occupied by the forces of the Songjiang Military District of the Northeast Democratic Alliance Army of the Communist Army, directly under the leadership of the North Manchuria Branch of the Northeast Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and later transferred to the leadership of the Northeast Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Northeast Administrative Committee. In late May 1946, the Nationalist forces recaptured Changchun (the capital of Manchukuo) and, after inflicting heavy losses on Lin Biao's troops in the Second Siping Campaign, pursued them to the banks of the Songhua River, only 60 kilometers away from Harbin. Under pressure from mediator George Catlett Marshall, who threatened to cut off all aid to the Nationalist government, Chiang Kai-shek issued a ceasefire order on June 6. Later, Marshall's mediation failed. Harbin became the first major city controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (according to the September 1947 census, the total population was 729,185, excluding 38,134 unregistered residents and foreigners). In June, the Northeast Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the General Headquarters of the Northeast Democratic Alliance Army, and their affiliated institutions all relocated to Harbin. On August 28, the 8.28 Uprising, supported by the Nationalist government, was suppressed by the Communist regime in just half an hour. Subsequently, the Communist regime gained control over Harbin's social order through large-scale inspections and rectifications. Harbin became a major rear area and an important industrial base for the Chinese Communist Party during the Second Chinese Civil War.

On November 18, 1946, the Northeast Administrative Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided to redesignate Harbin as a Special Municipality of Harbin (the fourth time). In March 1949, the term "Special" was removed from all special municipalities. In 1949, Harbin was reassigned and became the capital of Songjiang Province. On July 18, 1953, Harbin was once again designated as a municipality directly under the central government. On June 19, 1954, Heilongjiang and Songjiang provinces merged, and Harbin was reassigned to Heilongjiang Province, where it has served as the provincial capital ever since. On October 5, 1984, Harbin was designated as a city specifically designated in the state plan, and on February 25, 1994, it was officially designated as one of the 16 sub-provincial cities in the country.

3. Geography

Harbin is located in the southern part of Heilongjiang Province, on the southeastern edge of the Songnen Plain, and on the southern bank of the middle reaches of the Songhua River. Because it lies at the slender neck of Heilongjiang Province, whose shape resembles a swan, it is known as the "Pearl City under the Swan's Neck." Harbin spans from 125°42′ to 130°10′ east longitude and 44°04′ to 46°40′ north latitude, with a total area of 53,068 square kilometers. The urban area covers 10,198 square kilometers, making its administrative area the largest among China's 15 sub-provincial cities. Its total population ranks first in Northeast China. It borders Yichun City to the north, Jiamusi City and Qitaihe City to the northeast, Mudanjiang City to the southeast, Jilin Province to the southwest, Daqing City to the west, and Suihua City to the northwest. Harbin features flat terrain with an average elevation of 151 meters. Mountains account for 34%, hills for 20.7%, and plains for 45.3%. The urban area, situated along both banks of the Songhua River, is predominantly flat, while the eastern counties are mostly mountainous and hilly.

3.1 Climate

Harbin has a mid-temperate continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. Influenced by the Siberian cold high-pressure system, winters are extremely cold and snowy. The average minimum temperature in January is -22.4°C, with daily lows often below -20°C and occasionally dropping below -30°C, earning it the nickname "Ice City." Summers are cool, pleasant, and short. July has an average maximum temperature of 28.2°C and is the season with the most precipitation, though rainfall intensity is generally low. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons, both relatively brief. Spring sees rapid temperature increases, low precipitation, dry air, variable weather, and significant temperature fluctuations. Autumn weather is changeable, with temperatures cooling; precipitation decreases significantly after autumn begins but remains higher than in spring. Wind speeds are relatively high, second only to spring, with prevailing southerly winds. The annual rainfall is 539.4 mm, with an average annual temperature of 5.2°C. The average temperature in January is -17.3°C, and in July, it is 23.7°C. The historical extreme minimum temperature reached -42.6°C, while the extreme maximum temperature reached 40.4°C.

Harbin Meteorological Data (Average data from 1991 to 2020, Extreme data from 1961 to 2010)

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | Record high °C (°F) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.6 (51.1) | 22.6 (72.7) | 32.5 (90.5) | 36.2 (97.2) | 39.2 (102.6) | 39.2 (102.6) | 35.6 (96.1) | 31.4 (88.5) | 28.6 (83.5) | 18.7 (65.7) | 8.5 (47.3) | 39.2 (102.6) | | Average high °C (°F) | -11.8 (10.8) | -5.9 (21.4) | 3.2 (37.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 21.6 (70.9) | 26.6 (79.9) | 28.2 (82.8) | 26.7 (80.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 12.6 (54.7) | 0.1 (32.2) | -9.8 (14.4) | 10.6 (51.1) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | -17.3 (0.9) | -11.9 (10.6) | -2.4 (27.7) | 8.0 (46.4) | 15.7 (60.3) | 21.3 (70.3) | 23.7 (74.7) | 21.9 (71.4) | 15.7 (60.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | -4.6 (23.7) | -14.6 (5.7) | 5.2 (41.3) | | Average low °C (°F) | -22.4 (-8.3) | -17.8 (0.0) | -8.2 (17.2) | 1.9 (35.4) | 9.6 (49.3) | 16.0 (60.8) | 19.3 (66.7) | 17.4 (63.3) | 10.2 (50.4) | 1.6 (34.9) | -9.0 (16.0) | -19.1 (-2.4) | 0.0 (31.9) | | Record low °C (°F) | -38.1 (-36.6) | -37.3 (-35.1) | -28.4 (-19.1) | -12.8 (9.0) | -3.8 (25.2) | 4.6 (40.3) | 9.5 (49.1) | 5.5 (41.9) | -4.8 (23.4) | -16.2 (2.8) | -26.5 (-15.7) | -35.7 (-32.3) | -42.6 (-44.7) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 3.8 (0.15) | 4.5 (0.18) | 11.5 (0.45) | 19.3 (0.76) | 51.4 (2.02) | 100.4 (3.95) | 137.0 (5.39) | 112.7 (4.44) | 52.3 (2.06) | 24.5 (0.96) | 14.4 (0.57) | 7.6 (0.30) | 539.4 (21.23) | | Average precipitation days (≥0.1 mm) | 4.8 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 10.5 | 13.8 | 14.0 | 11.9 | 9.1 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 99 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 71 | 66 | 55 | 48 | 51 | 62 | 76 | 78 | 69 | 61 | 63 | 69 | 64 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 129.7 | 171.7 | 215.3 | 215.7 | 237.0 | 240.2 | 222.6 | 220.4 | 224.1 | 191.9 | 148.9 | 122.1 | 2,339.6 | | Percent possible sunshine | 46 | 58 | 58 | 53 | 51 | 51 | 47 | 51 | 60 | 58 | 53 | 45 | 53 | | Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Harbin City currently administers 9 municipal districts, 7 counties, and oversees 2 county-level cities on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Daoli District, Nangang District, Daowai District, Pingfang District, Songbei District, Xiangfang District, Hulan District, Acheng District, Shuangcheng District
• County-level Cities: Shangzhi City, Wuchang City
• Counties: Yilan County, Fangzheng County, Bin County, Bayan County, Mulan County, Tonghe County, Yanshou County

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Permanent Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Of which: Ethnic Townships | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 230100 | Harbin City | Harbin Shi | 53,076.5 | 10,009,854 | Songbei District | 150000 | 136 | 112 | 56 | 11 | | 230102 | Daoli District | Daoli Qu | 443.8 | 1,097,430 | Fushun Subdistrict | 150000 | 19 | 4 | | | | 230103 | Nangang District | Nangang Qu | 168.4 | 1,390,679 | Dacheng Subdistrict | 150000 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 230104 | Daowai District | Daowai Qu | 615.3 | 811,178 | Daxing Subdistrict | 150000 | 23 | 4 | | | | 230108 | Pingfang District | Pingfang Qu | 92.4 | 238,945 | Youxie Subdistrict | 150000 | 9 | 1 | | | | 230109 | Songbei District | Songbei Qu | 736.8 | 413,515 | Songbei Subdistrict | 150000 | 5 | 5 | | | | 230110 | Xiangfang District | Xiangfang Qu | 341.5 | 1,120,185 | Xiangfang Dajie Subdistrict | 150000 | 20 | 4 | | | | 230111 | Hulan District | Hulan Qu | 2,233.5 | 769,997 | Nanjinglu Subdistrict | 150500 | 17 | 6 | 3 | | | 230112 | Acheng District | Acheng Qu | 2,449.1 | 500,327 | Jincheng Subdistrict | 150300 | 15 | 4 | | | | 230113 | Shuangcheng District | Shuangcheng Qu | 3,112.1 | 633,880 | Yongzhi Subdistrict | 150100 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 4 | | 230123 | Yilan County | Yilan Xian | 4,606.0 | 258,345 | Yilan Town | 154800 | | 6 | 3 | 1 | | 230124 | Fangzheng County | Fangzheng Xian | 2,976.1 | 183,789 | Fangzheng Town | 150800 | | 4 | 4 | | | 230125 | Bin County | Bin Xian | 3,843.2 | 444,314 | Binzhou Town | 150400 | | 12 | 5 | | | 230126 | Bayan County | Bayan Xian | 3,138.9 | 420,409 | Bayan Town | 151800 | | 10 | 8 | | | 230127 | Mulan County | Mulan Xian | 3,171.3 | 176,245 | Mulan Town | 151900 | | 6 | 2 | | | 230128 | Tonghe County | Tonghe Xian | 5,661.4 | 179,829 | Tonghe Town | 150900 | | 8 | | | | 230129 | Yanshou County | Yanshou Xian | 3,096.3 | 182,725 | Yanshou Town | 150700 | | 6 | 3 | | | 230183 | Shangzhi City | Shangzhi Shi | 8,891.3 | 463,358 | Shangzhi Town | 150600 | | 10 | 7 | 2 | | 230184 | Wuchang City | Wuchang Shi | 7,499.0 | | Wuchang Town | 150200 | | 12 | 11 | 3 |2 | 724,705 | Wuchang Town | 150200 | | 12 | 12 | 3 | | |

5. Economy

In 2021, Harbin achieved a regional GDP of 535.17 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.5% calculated at comparable prices. Specifically, the value-added of the primary industry was 62.82 billion yuan, up 6.6%; the secondary industry added 123.92 billion yuan, up 3.2%; and the tertiary industry added 348.43 billion yuan, up 6.1%. The industrial structure of the three sectors adjusted from 12.0:22.5:65.5 in the previous year to 11.7:23.2:65.1.

Currently, Harbin has three national-level economic and technological development zones and one national-level high-tech industrial development zone. The national-level economic and technological development zones are the Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone located in Hanan, the Binxi Economic and Technological Development Zone in Bin County, and the Limin Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hulan District. The national-level high-tech industrial development zone, originally located in Nangang District, Harbin, is gradually relocating to Songbei District.

The annual China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair, established in 1990, serves as a large-scale international economic, trade, and technology exchange connecting China with Russia and Northeast Asia. It fully leverages geographical advantages, facilitates multi-party cooperation between China and Russia, promotes trade with Russia, Japan, and South Korea, and covers the entire Northeast Asian region. In October 2013, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev agreed during a regular meeting between the two premiers to upgrade the Harbin Fair into the China-Russia Expo. The first China-Russia Expo, jointly organized by China's Ministry of Commerce, the People's Government of Heilongjiang Province, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, and the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, was held in Harbin from June 30 to July 4, 2014. In 2013, the State Council also approved the "Plan for the Development and Opening-up of Border Areas in Heilongjiang and Northeastern Inner Mongolia," designating Harbin as the central hub for border development and opening-up, a regional central city in Northeast Asia, and an economic and trade center for Northeast China's opening-up, particularly towards Russia.

5.1 Industry

Harbin rose with the opening of the Chinese Eastern Railway and was originally a city focused on commerce and trade. At its founding, its industrial system was primarily based on light industries such as food and textiles. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Harbin became a key national base for heavy industry development. During the Korean War, the implementation of "relocating southern factories to the north" brought several industrial enterprises mainly from Liaoning Province. During the First Five-Year Plan period, 13 of the 156 key projects aided by the Soviet Union were located in Harbin, forming an industrial economic structure dominated by large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises with a focus on heavy industry. These key projects mainly included a group of heavy industrial enterprises such as Harbin Electric Machinery Plant, Harbin Boiler Plant, and Harbin Steam Turbine Plant, establishing an industrial system in Harbin centered on electromechanical industry, supplemented by textiles, metallurgy, light industry, and others. In 1957, the total industrial output value of Harbin's urban area ranked seventh nationwide, making it an important national industrial base. Starting in 1964, China began the Third Front construction. As a city on the national defense front line, Harbin saw many enterprises either fully relocate or provide support for construction in northwest and southwest China, leading to the establishment of factories like the Northwest Aluminum Processing Plant, Lanzhou Welding Electrode Plant, and Tianshui Changcheng Precision Instrument Plant. This somewhat weakened Harbin's industrial system.

Currently, Harbin's four major industries are, in order, food industry, equipment manufacturing, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Major food industry enterprises include Heilongjiang Jiusan Oil & Fat Industry Group Co., Ltd. and Heilongjiang Tobacco Industrial Co., Ltd. Major equipment manufacturing enterprises include Harbin Electric Corporation and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co., Ltd. The major petrochemical enterprise is PetroChina Harbin Petrochemical Company, and the major pharmaceutical enterprise is Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. State-owned enterprises dominate Harbin's industry, which features a comprehensive range of industrial categories.

Harbin Electric Corporation (Harbin Electric, NASDAQ: HRBN, abbreviated as HE Group, formerly known as Harbin Power Station Equipment Group Corporation, changed to its current name on March 6, 2009, with approval from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council). Its subsidiaries include Harbin Electric Machinery Plant, Harbin Boiler Plant, and Harbin Steam Turbine Plant. The group is one of the three nationally renowned power equipment groups. Among them, Harbin Electric Machinery Plant's products account for half of the hydropower equipment units and one-third of the thermal power equipment units in national projects, totaling half of the overall volume. It was also the sole domestic bidder to supply equipment for the Three Gorges Project, making it a leader in the industry.

Harbin Aviation Industry Group is China's research and production base for helicopters, general aviation aircraft, regional aircraft, and aircraft engines. It has developed into an export-oriented backbone aviation enterprise with four major product series: the Y-12 light multi-purpose aircraft, the Z-9 series helicopters, the EC120 helicopter, and subcontracting for foreign aviation products. It also produces China's only complete civil regional aircraft. Harbin Hafei Automobile Co., Ltd. has been merged into Changan Automobile Group, becoming Changan Group's minivan production base.

Harbin Beer, founded in 1900, is China's earliest beer brand. Harbin Pharmaceutical Group and many other pharmaceutical enterprises are well-known in the Chinese pharmaceutical market. The group is also one of China's largest advertisers.

Additionally, Harbin has nearly 3,000 enterprises in chemicals, electronic instruments, and other sectors. Products include: power station boilers, power generation equipment, hydro-generator sets, electricity, cement, steel, aluminum, petrochemical products, bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, automobiles, cigarettes, beer, furniture, dairy products, soft drinks, etc.

5.2 Finance

In the early 20th century, Harbin became an important international commercial and financial hub. Over 20 internationally renowned foreign banks, including HSBC, Far Eastern Bank, Russo-Chinese Bank, Japanese Longkou Bank, and Banque Industrielle de Chine, once established operations in Harbin. Chinese banks such as Bank of Communications and Bank of China also opened branches in Harbin as early as the 1910s.

Harbin is currently in a period of accelerated financial industry development. Its financial "niche market" has become a lucrative target for domestic and foreign banks. Currently, Harbin has 32 various financial institutions, double the number at the end of the 10th Five-Year Plan period. Among them, there are six foreign banks, with the number of both Chinese and foreign banks ranking third in Northeast China. Additionally, there are nearly 30 insurance companies, 19 securities, futures, trust, and finance companies, 73 guarantee institutions, and 36 micro-credit companies. There are 26 listed companies domestically and overseas.

Currently, two city commercial banks, Harbin Bank and Longjiang Bank, have their headquarters located in Harbin.

Harbin Bank was restructured from Harbin City Commercial Bank. It now has 13 branches in cities including Harbin, Tianjin, Chengdu, Shenyang, Dalian, and Chongqing, and has established 24 village and township banks in Beijing, Shenzhen, Jilin, Gansu, Chongqing, and Heilongjiang. By the end of 2013, its total assets reached 322.175 billion yuan, an increase of 19.3% from the end of the previous year. Among these, deposit balance was 224.178 billion yuan, with a non-performing loan ratio of 0.85%. It achieved a net profit of 3.35 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16.97%, placing its profitability among the top in Northeast China. According to the "2011 China Commercial Bank Competitiveness Evaluation Report" released by China's The Banker magazine in 2011, Harbin Bank ranked fourth in competitiveness among city commercial banks nationwide with assets over 100 billion yuan, leading in Northeast China. In the "Asian Small and Medium-sized Bank Comprehensive Competitiveness Ranking" by 21st Century Business Herald, Harbin Bank ranked sixth.

In Russia-focused financial services, Harbin Bank holds a leading position in the industry. Statistics from January to October 2010 showed that Harbin Bank exchanged 121 million rubles that year, accounting for over 90% of the national exchange volume during the same period. It leads domestic peers in ruble account and ruble deposit holdings, and its ruble settlement and RMB settlement volumes for Russia are at leading levels among domestic banks. On March 31, 2014, Harbin Bank successfully listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, becoming the third city commercial bank in China and the first in Northeast China to successfully enter the Hong Kong capital market.

Longjiang Bank was established in December 2009 through the merger and restructuring of the former Qiqihar City Commercial Bank, Mudanjiang City Commercial Bank, Daqing City Commercial Bank, and Qitaihe City Credit Cooperative. It has under its headquarters a business department and branches in Qiqihar, Mudanjiang, Jiamusi, Daqing, Shuangyashan, Yichun, Qitaihe, Hegang, Heihe, and Daxing'anling. Its registered capital is 3.08 billion yuan. In 2013, Longjiang Bank's total assets were 171.969 billion yuan, a decrease of 14.086 billion yuan from the end of 2012, down 7.57% year-on-year. Its deposit balance was 120.78 billion yuan, an increase of 6.68 billion yuan from the end of the previous year, a growth of 5.86%. It achieved a net profit of 1.86 billion yuan.

5.2.1 Distribution of Foreign Banks- J.P. Morgan Bank Harbin Branch

• HSBC Bank Harbin Branch
• Bank of East Asia Harbin Branch
• Kookmin Bank Harbin Branch
• Hana Bank Harbin Branch
• Société Générale Harbin Branch
• Standard Chartered Bank Harbin Branch

5.3 Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, and Fishery

Harbin City has a total of 1.793 million hectares of agricultural cultivated land and 75,000 hectares of grassland. The main crops include rice, corn, soybeans, potatoes, sugar beets, and flue-cured tobacco. The added value of animal husbandry ranks first among sub-provincial cities, and the aquaculture industry holds the top position in Heilongjiang Province. The forest coverage rate is 44.6%. Harbin's grain production ranks second in Heilongjiang Province, second only to the neighboring Suihua City, and first among sub-provincial cities. In 2013, grain production reached 33 billion kilograms. The Harbin National Grain Trading Center has been established as the first large-scale national-level grain trading center in China, integrating trading, settlement, information, logistics, and futures. It is interconnected with the Zhengzhou National Grain Trading Center. The main mineral resources include coal, iron ore, lead, copper, zinc, molybdenum, tungsten, expanded shale, marble for cement, granite for decoration, marble for decoration, serpentine, petroleum, natural gas, and a small amount of peat. In 2013, the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery in Harbin reached 108.95 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.8%. The city's agricultural industrialization revenue was 39.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.2%. In recent years, Harbin has vigorously promoted scientific research and innovation in agriculture. The 216-meter-high Harbin International Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center has become one of the landmark buildings in the Harbin Songbei Science and Technology Innovation City. It houses talent introduction, training, and exchange institutions such as the Sino-Russian Technology Cooperation Center, the Postdoctoral Research Workstation of the Ministry of Personnel, and the Heilongjiang Branch of the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

6. Transportation

Harbin is a major transportation hub in Northeast China.

6.1 Railway

Harbin was established and prospered due to the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway. It is located at the intersection of the "T"-shaped railway network in Northeast China formed by the Binzhou, Binsui, and Jingha railways. It is also the intersection point of the Beijing-Harbin–Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Corridor and the Suifenhe–Manzhouli Corridor, which constitute the "One Vertical and One Horizontal" layout for Northeast China within China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" national railway network plan outlined in the Medium and Long-term Railway Network Plan. Harbin is a crucial railway hub in Northeast China and the headquarters of the Harbin Railway Bureau, the northernmost railway administration in China's national railway network.

6.1.1 Passenger and Freight Stations

The passenger railway system in Harbin follows a "Two Main, Two Auxiliary" layout.

"Two Main" refers to Harbin Station and Harbin West Station.

Harbin Station is located in the city center, connecting the two major central districts of Nangang and Daoli. The station was first built in 1899 and was once named "Songhuajiang Station." It has undergone multiple renovations and reconstructions, with the most recent reconstruction completed in 2018. Its architectural style is designed in the Art Nouveau style of the first-generation station building from 1899. Currently, Harbin Station primarily handles the departure, arrival, and transit operations for most conventional-speed trains in Harbin, as well as some high-speed rail (HSR) and bullet train services.

Harbin West Station is the originating station for the Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway and officially opened in 2012. It is currently responsible for the departure and arrival operations of most HSR and bullet train services in Harbin. On June 20, 2014, the up-line track switching for the conventional-speed yard at Harbin West was successfully completed, formally connecting Harbin West Station to Harbin Station. Since then, Harbin West Station has also begun handling departure and arrival operations for some conventional-speed trains on southern and western routes.

"Two Auxiliary" refers to Harbin East Station and Harbin North Station.

Harbin East Station, originally named Sankeshu Station, was first built in 1934 and underwent its latest renovation in 2016. It mainly operates regional passenger trains within the railway bureau's jurisdiction, as well as trains to destinations outside the province like Dandong and Chifeng. Passengers can transfer seamlessly to Metro Line 1 at this station.

Harbin North Station opened in 2015 concurrently with the Harbin–Qiqihar High-Speed Railway. Harbin Metro Line 2 has a station at Harbin North, allowing disembarking passengers to take the metro directly to Harbin Railway Station via Jingwei Street, Tongjiang Street, and Zhaolin Street.

The layout of Harbin's railway freight system is "One Marshaling Yard, Three Freight Stations, One Center." "One Marshaling Yard" is Harbin South Station. "Three Freight Stations" are Binjiang Station, Wanggang Station, and Xinxiangfang Station. "One Center" refers to the construction of a new logistics center. Harbin South Station is one of China's fifteen network-wide marshaling yards. Harbin Station is one of China's three modernized marshaling yards and one of the seventeen regional marshaling yards. The third marshaling yard, Wanggang Marshaling Yard, is also... The Harbin Container Center Station is located south of Xinxiangfang Station within the Harbin hub, undertaking a large volume of container and special cargo express transportation tasks. Xinxiangfang Station is one of the nation's eighteen container center stations and serves as one of Harbin's inland ports. Miaotaizi Railway Station is one of China's five high-power Harmony train set inspection bases.

6.1.2 Conventional Railway Lines

There are five main radial conventional railway lines connecting to the national network within Harbin's jurisdiction:

• Beijing–Harbin Railway (Jingha Line), connecting to Beijing, passing through Changchun, Siping, Shenyang, Tieling, Qinhuangdao, etc. It connects to multiple main trunk lines of the national railway network, operating most southbound passenger trains to reach most provincial capitals and major cities across China.
• Harbin–Manzhouli Railway (Binzhou Line), connecting to Manzhouli, passing through Daqing, Qiqihar, Hailar, etc. It connects to railways like the Qiqihar–Jalainur Line and Yakeshi–Linhe Line, operating passenger trains to northwestern parts of the bureau's jurisdiction like Hulunbuir and the Greater Khingan Range.
• Harbin–Suifenhe Railway (Binsui Line), connecting to Suifenhe, passing through Acheng, Shangzhi, Mudanjiang, etc. It connects to railways like the Tumen–Jiamusi Line and Chengzihe–Jixi Line, operating passenger trains to southeastern parts of the bureau's jurisdiction like Jixi and Qitaihe.
• Harbin–Beian Railway (Binbei Line), connecting to Beian, passing through Suihua, Hailun, etc. It connects to railways like the Qiqihar–Beian Line and Suihua–Jiamusi Line, operating passenger trains to northern and northeastern parts of the bureau's jurisdiction like Heihe, Jiamusi, Hegang, Shuangyashan, and Yichun.
• Lafa–Harbin Railway (Labin Line), connecting to Lafa, passing through Wuchang, Shulan, etc. It connects to railways like the Changchun–Tumen Line, operating passenger trains towards Jilin City, Yanbian, etc.

6.1.3 High-Speed Rail and Bullet Train Lines

• Harbin–Dalian Passenger Dedicated Line (Hada PDL): Designed operating speed of 350 km/h, connecting Harbin to Dalian via Changchun, Siping, Shenyang, Anshan, etc. It opened on December 1, 2012, as the first HSR line in the three northeastern provinces and the world's first high-speed railway operating in a -40°C high-cold region. It connects to the national HSR network, operating most southbound HSR and bullet train services.
• Harbin–Qiqihar Passenger Dedicated Line (Haqi PDL): Designed operating speed of 250 km/h (with provisions for future speed increase to 300 km/h), connecting Harbin to Qiqihar via Zhaodong, Daqing, etc. It officially opened on August 17, 2015, becoming the first HSR line operating between prefecture-level cities in Heilongjiang Province and currently the northernmost HSR line in operation in China.
• Harbin–Jiamusi Rapid Railway (Hajia Railway): Designed operating speed of 200 km/h, connecting Harbin to Jiamusi via Fangzheng, Yilan, etc. It opened on September 30, 2018.
• Harbin–Mudanjiang Passenger Dedicated Line (Hamu PDL): Designed operating speed of 250 km/h, connecting Harbin to Mudanjiang via Acheng, Shangzhi, etc. It opened on December 25, 2018, and connects to the already-built new Mudanjiang–Suifenhe Line.

6.2 Highway

Harbin's main long-distance bus stations include Nangang Station, Sankeshu Station, Daowai Station, Daqiao Station, and Haxi Station, operating coaches to destinations across the country.

6.2.1 Expressways and National Highways

Five National Highways pass through Harbin: G102 (Beijing–Fuyuan), G202 (Heihe–Dalian), G221 (Tongjiang–Harbin), G222 (Jiayin–Linjiang), and G301 (Suifenhe–Manzhouli).

Within China's National Expressway Network, the following expressways pass through Harbin's jurisdiction: G1 Beijing–Harbin Expressway, G1111 Hegang–Harbin Expressway, G10 Suifenhe–Manzhouli Expressway, G1011 Harbin–Tongjiang Expressway, and G1211 Jilin–Heihe Expressway.

G1001 Harbin Ring Expressway, also known as Harbin's Fourth Ring Road, has a total length of 91.94 km and a design speed of 120 km/h. Its construction began in 1998 and took 11 years, with the entire line opening in September 2009, spanning 91.9 km. Additionally, the Airport Expressway connects directly from the western part of the urban area to Harbin Taiping International Airport.

6.2.2 Urban Roads

The ring roads within Harbin's urban area include the Inner Ring Road, Second Ring Road, and Third Ring Road.

• Harbin Inner Ring Road is the loop road in the city's core area, composed of sections of Xinyang Road, Tiandi Street, Nanji Street, Chengde Street, Kuancheng Street, Xuanhua Street, Wenchang Street, Jiaohua Street, and Anfa Street. It is 12.5 km long, with 8.5 km being elevated sections.
• Harbin Second Ring Road is a city ring road featuring 13 elevated interchanges. It is fully grade-separated and mostly closed (except for parts of Youyi Road and Daxin Street along the river, and Nanzhi Road). It has 10 lanes in both directions, a design speed of 60-80 km/h, and a total length of 30.36 km. It consists of Youyi Road, Hayao Road, Qianjin Road, Kang'an Road, Hexing Road, Sandadongli Road, Sanhe Road, Gongbin Road, Nanzhi Road, Dongbeixin Street, Beixin Street, and Daxin Street. It connects the four main urban districts on the south bank of the Songhua River: Daoli, Daowai, Nangang, and Xiangfang.
• Harbin Third Ring Road is a city ring road with a total length of 61.5 km, connecting five districts: Nangang, Daoli, Daowai, Xiangfang, and Songbei. The western and central sections on the north bank of the river, the entire southern section, the western cross-river Yangmingtan Bridge, and the eastern cross-river Third Ring East River Bridge have been opened to traffic successively. Only the section from Shatuozi on the north side of the Third Ring East River Bridge to Zhongyuan Avenue is still under construction.

Besides the streets forming the main ring roads, other major arterial roads in Harbin's urban area include Zhongshan Road, Hongjun Street, Gogol Street, West Dazhi Street, East Dazhi Street, Shangzhi Street, Jingwei Street, Jingyang Street, Huanghe Road, Changjiang Road, Hongqi Street, Xuefu Road, etc.

The main cross-river highway bridges in Harbin's urban area are Sifangtai Bridge (Fourth Ring Road/City Ring Expressway), West Third Ring Yangmingtan Cross-River Bridge, Songhua River Highway Bridge, Songpu Bridge, East Third Ring Cross-River Bridge (replacing the original Dongjiang Bridge, still a combined road-rail bridge), and the East Fourth Ring Cross-River Bridge near the Xia Zhanbei Dock (Ring Expressway). A 100.6 km-long Riverside Avenue has been built along the north bank of the Songhua River. This road stretches from the Wanbao Levee in Songbei at the Zhaodong boundary in the west to the Dadingshan Navigation-Power Junction in the east. From upstream to downstream, it connects the Science and Technology Innovation City, the Highway Bridge, the Grand Theatre, Songpu Bridge, Hulan River Estuary, etc., serving transportation, flood control, landscape, and ecological functions.

Edmonton, Canada, has a "Harbin Road," and Harbin also has an "Edmonton Road," which is an important channel connecting the Second Ring Road to the Airport Road and even the Third Ring Road. It connects to the elevated Chengxiang Road overpass, which leads directly to the roundabout at the Airport Road interchange on the Third Ring Road.

6.3 Civil AviationHarbin Taiping International Airport is the first international airport in Northeast China with an annual passenger throughput exceeding 20 million, ranking first in passenger volume among the three northeastern provinces. It is also a crucial air transportation hub in Northeast China and even Northeast Asia. Designated as one of the top ten international aviation hubs for key development under China's "13th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," it is the only international aviation hub in Northeast China, with its flight zone classified as 4E. The airport operates flights to over 30 major and medium-sized tourist cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dalian, Xi’an, and Sanya, as well as regular flights to countries and regions such as Russia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan.

The main expansion project of Harbin Taiping Airport commenced on October 31, 2014, and was completed and put into operation in April 2018. The project includes the construction of a new Terminal 2 with a functional area of 160,000 square meters, an apron with 45 aircraft stands, parking facilities, and other supporting infrastructure. The total terminal area now reaches 232,000 square meters, nearly quadrupling its capacity. The total number of aircraft stands has increased to 76. The design meets the operational demands for 2020, including an annual passenger throughput of 18 million, cargo and mail throughput of 175,000 tons, and 141,000 aircraft takeoffs and landings.

6.4 Water Transport

The Harbin Port on the Songhua River was approved by the State Council as a Class I open port in 1989, making it the largest inland river transshipment hub and international port in Northeast China. Steamships can navigate upstream from Harbin to Jilin City and upstream along the Nen River to Qiqihar City. Downstream from Harbin, river vessels of over 1,000 tons can travel, reaching the sea via Russia’s Far East region. Currently, river-sea intermodal transport has been realized, allowing direct access to the Sea of Japan.

6.5 Metro

6.5.1 Operational Sections

The underground civil construction of Harbin Metro Line 1 began on September 29, 2008, and opened on September 26, 2013 (with the Museum Station opening on September 26, 2014). The central urban section runs northeast-southwest, with a total length of 17.48 kilometers, 18 stations, one depot, and one parking lot.

On January 26, 2017, the first phase of Harbin Metro Line 3 opened (from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Station to Chengxiang Road Station; Harbin Avenue Station opened on June 16, 2017, while Chengxiang Road Station was temporarily delayed).

On April 10, 2019, the third phase of Harbin Metro Line 1 opened (extending the existing Line 1 southward to Xinjiang Street Station, with 5 stations and a total length of 8.54 km).

On September 19, 2021, the first phase of Harbin Metro Line 2 opened from Jiangbei University Town Station to Meteorological Observatory Station, with a total length of approximately 28.7 km and 19 stations.

On November 26, 2021, the southeast semi-loop of the second phase of Harbin Metro Line 3 opened from Sports Park Station to Taiping Bridge Station. The entire line has 19 stations, and together with the first phase of Line 3, the total number of stations reaches 24. The total length of the opened sections of the first and second phases is 24.64 km.

On September 29, 2023, the northwest semi-loop of the second phase of Harbin Metro Line 3 opened in the Laodaowai section, including Jingyu Park Station, Qingzhen Temple Station, and Zhonghua Baroque Block Station.

On December 26, 2023, Harbin Metro Line 3’s Beimalu Station opened for operation.

On November 26, 2024, the northwest semi-loop of the second phase of Harbin Metro Line 3 opened from Lilac Park Station to Zhaolin Park Station, marking the full opening and operation of Line 3.

6.5.2 Planned Sections

On April 18, 2016, the official website of Harbin Metro Group released the "Environmental Impact Assessment Public Notice for the Second Phase Construction Plan of Harbin Urban Rail Transit (2017–2022)." The planned route has a total length of approximately 85 km, including 65 stations. The city’s early long-term plan envisioned nine lines and one loop, totaling 10 routes with a length of 340 km. In addition to the nine lines and one loop, a light rail ground line to Acheng District was also planned. However, with the detailed planning and subsequent commencement of Lines 2, 3, 4, and 5, significant changes have been made to the early plan. Furthermore, in 2015, Harbin City signed an agreement with Greenland Group to construct Line 6 (from Qunli New District to Daowai Chemical Road, with a total length of 33 km) and Line 9 (from Harbin West Railway Station to the airport, with a total length of 28 km). Construction was scheduled to begin in 2016, but no substantial progress has been made in submitting environmental impact assessments or seeking approval from the National Development and Reform Commission.

6.6 Taxis

In 1903, taxis appeared on the streets of Harbin, making it the first city in China to have taxis. By the 1920s, Harbin already had multiple taxi operating companies, forming a complete operational system. In the 1930s, with increasing passenger volume, cars were gradually imported from abroad. In 1934, Harbin had a total of 486 taxis. During the 1940s, the industry declined, and the number of taxis dropped sharply. Currently, Harbin has 13,000 taxis operated by 92 companies. The starting fare is 8 yuan for the first 3 kilometers, with an additional 1 yuan for every 500 meters beyond 3 kilometers. A 1 yuan fuel surcharge is also applied (the fuel surcharge increased to 2 yuan on May 1, 2012, and was later adjusted back to 1 yuan). For one-way trips exceeding 12 kilometers, the fare per kilometer is adjusted to 2.85 yuan. The main vehicle models include Jetta and Santana. After 2022, newly added taxis are primarily new energy vehicles.

7. Education

7.1 Overview

Harbin City has a total of 3,930 schools of various types and levels. These include 2,244 primary schools, 478 junior high schools, 141 regular senior high schools, 938 kindergartens, 1 reformatory school, 39 vocational high schools, 10 municipal secondary specialized schools, 34 municipal technical schools, and 26 adult secondary specialized schools.

7.2 Basic Education

In Harbin City, the dropout rate for primary school students has consistently remained below 0.5% in urban areas and below 1% in rural areas. For junior high school students, the dropout rate has consistently stayed below 2% in urban areas and below 3% in rural areas. The enrollment rate for children with disabilities is no less than 95%.

Primary school-age students in Harbin City are enrolled in schools near their registered residence. Some middle schools conduct city-wide entrance exams for students transitioning from primary to junior high school. These exams are designed independently by the admitting schools. Some schools adopt a method of admitting students from designated feeder schools without exams, based on proximity.

7.3 Senior High School Education

The pass rate for the academic proficiency tests of regular senior high school students in Harbin City ranks first among all prefecture-level cities in the province. The city has a total of 141 regular senior high schools, including eight provincial key high schools in Heilongjiang Province and eleven municipal key high schools in Harbin City.

7.4 Higher Education

Harbin City has a total of seventeen regular undergraduate institutions. Among them, Harbin Institute of Technology is one of the first nine national key universities under the "985 Project" and one of the nine universities in the C9 League (China's Ivy League). Northeast Forestry University is the only institution in Heilongjiang Province directly under the Ministry of Education. Harbin Institute of Technology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin Engineering University, and Northeast Agricultural University are national key universities under the "211 Project". Harbin University of Science and Technology, Heilongjiang University, Harbin Medical University, and Harbin University of Commerce are key institutions under the national "Midwest University Basic Capacity Building Project" (also known as the "Small 211 Project"). Harbin Normal University and Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine are provincial key universities. Heilongjiang Oriental University is one of China's first nine private regular undergraduate institutions.

8. Population

On May 12, 2011, the Harbin Municipal Government released the main data from the city's sixth national population census. As of midnight on November 1, 2010, the city's total population (i.e., resident population) was 10,635,971, ranking third among sub-provincial cities, after Chengdu and Guangzhou. In 2010, the resident population of Harbin's urban districts was 5,878,939, ranking ninth among sub-provincial cities. Compared with the data from the fifth national population census conducted in 2000, Harbin's population increased by 1,222,612 people over the decade, a growth of 12.99%, with an average annual growth rate of 1.23%. The proportion of males was slightly higher than that of females, at 50.85% and 49.15%, respectively. Harbin's birth rate was only 6.95‰, significantly lower than the national average of 12.13‰. The floating population increased by 1.7 times compared to 2000.

According to the seventh national population census in 2020, the city's resident population was 10,009,854. Compared with the 10,635,971 people from the sixth national population census, the population decreased by 626,117 over the decade, a decline of 5.89%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.6%. Among them, the male population was 5,007,089, accounting for 50.02% of the total population; the female population was 5,002,765, accounting for 49.98% of the total population. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 100.09. The population aged 0–14 was 1,047,204, accounting for 10.46% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 6,762,590, accounting for 67.56% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 2,200,060, accounting for 21.98% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 1,466,109, accounting for 14.65% of the total population. The urban population was 7,067,709, accounting for 70.61% of the total population; the rural population was 2,942,145, accounting for 29.39% of the total population.

At the end of 2022, the total registered population was 9.395 million. Among them, the urban population was 5.286 million. The population of the nine districts was 5.514 million, and the population of the nine counties (cities) was 3.881 million.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

In 2005, Harbin had a minority population of 631,900. The Manchu population accounted for 77.1% of the total minority population, ranking first among ethnic minorities, followed by the Korean population, which accounted for 13.2% of the minority population, and the Hui population, which accounted for 5.8% of the minority population. There were also Mongol, Xibe, Daur, and other ethnic groups.

In 2020, among the city's resident population, the Han population was 9,550,738, accounting for 95.41%; the combined population of various ethnic minorities was 459,116, accounting for 4.59%. Compared with the sixth national population census in 2010, the Han population decreased by 568,694, a decline of 5.62%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.27 percentage points. The combined population of ethnic minorities decreased by 57,423, a decline of 11.12%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.27 percentage points. Among them, the Manchu population decreased by 54,273, a decline of 15.48%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.34 percentage points; the Korean population decreased by 13,596, a decline of 12.91%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.07 percentage points; the Hui population decreased by 7,065, a decline of 19.36%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.05 percentage points; the Mongol population increased by 5,169, a growth of 38.18%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.06 percentage points.

The population of the municipal districts was 5.537 million. At the end of 2021, the total registered population was 9.432 million, accounting for 0.715% of the national total population.

9. Religion

Before the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway, religious activities in Harbin were predominantly Buddhist and Taoist. In August 1896, the Russian Orthodox Church built Harbin's first church—St. Nicholas Church—in Xiangfang District. By 1937, Harbin had 121 various religious buildings, including 30 Christian churches, 21 Taoist temples, 20 Buddhist temples, 19 Orthodox churches, 11 buildings for the Morality Society and Red Cross, 7 Japanese Shinto shrines, 5 Catholic churches, 5 Islamic mosques, 2 Jewish synagogues, and 1 Confucian temple. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, religious activities gradually declined. Since 1980, religious activities have been restored and developed, and there are now over 20 religious activity sites.

9.1 Buddhism

• Jile Temple (Temple of Bliss): No. 1 Dongdazhi Street, Nangang District. Built in 1924. A nationally key temple and a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.
• Puzhao Temple: East side of the Jile Temple Pagoda Courtyard. Built in 1986.
• Huayan Temple: No. 27 Bile Street. Construction began in 1922 and was completed on June 6, 1937. A municipal Category I protected building.

9.2 Islam

• Daowai Mosque (East Mosque): Located between South 12th and 14th Streets, Daowai District. Originally built in 1897, rebuilt in 1935. A municipal Category I protected building.
• West Mosque: No. 24 Mosque Street, Daowai District. Faces east. Rebuilt around 2010 and still used for religious purposes.
• Taiping Mosque: Yanping Toutiao Street, Daowai District. Built in 1939, rebuilt in June 1989.
• Xiangfang Mosque: No. 4-A Songshan Road, Xiangfang District.
• Pingfang Mosque: Sanjiazi, Pingxin Town, Pingfang District.
• Tatar Mosque: No. 78 Tongjiang Street, Daoli District. Originally built in 1901, rebuilt in 1922. A municipal Category I protected building and the fifth batch of Heilongjiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.
• Hulan Mosque: Lanhe Street, Hulan District. Originally built in the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1810).
• Acheng Mosque: No. 28 Lifu Hutong, Acheng District. Formerly known as Acheng Libai Temple. Originally built in the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1777), rebuilt on the original site in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and completed in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (1900). A provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.

9.3 Protestantism

As in most other Chinese cities, Harbin has the largest number of Buddhists, but the Christian population is growing the fastest.

• Hallelujah Church: Youfang Street, Xiangfang District. Newly built, it is the largest church in Heilongjiang Province.
• Nangang Church: Dongdazhi Street, Nangang District. Originally the German Lutheran Church on Dazhi Street for German expatriates, built in 1916. A municipal Category I protected building.
• Daoli Church: No. 110 Xinyang Road. Originally the Russian Expatriate Chapel of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, built in 1924. A municipal Category III protected building.
• Daowai Church: North 6th Street, Daowai District. Originally a Baptist church, built in 1936.

9.4 Catholicism

• Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral on Dongdazhi Street: No. 211 Dongdazhi Street, Nangang District. Originally the Polish Catholic Church, rebuilt in 2004, with a spire height of 51.6 meters.
• Church of the Immaculate Conception on Shike Street: No. 211 Shike Street, Nangang District. Originally the Orthodox St. Alexeyev Church, rebuilt between 1930 and 1935. A municipal Category I protected building.
• St. Joseph's Church: No. 98 Jiangpan Road, Daowai District (originally the Daowai Catholic Church on Nanxun 6th Street, now a kindergarten).
• Hulan Catholic Church: Dongfu Road, Hulan District. Built in the early 20th century. In 1999, it was listed by the Heilongjiang Provincial People's Government as part of the fourth batch of Heilongjiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

9.5 Eastern Orthodoxy

In the 1930s, Harbin had 25 Orthodox churches. Most were closed after the mass departure of Russian expatriates in the 1950s. During the Cultural Revolution, churches such as Harbin's St. Nicholas Church in the center of Lamatai Square and the Harbin Church of the Annunciation by the Songhua River were destroyed. Approximately ten Orthodox church buildings remain today. However, only one has resumed Orthodox religious activities. The St. Alexeyev Church on Shike Street was converted into a Catholic church, and St. Sophia Cathedral was turned into an architectural museum.

• St. Sophia Cathedral: A typical Byzantine-style Orthodox church, it is the largest Orthodox church in China. Restored in 1997, it now serves as an architectural museum.
• St. Nicholas Church: Destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
• Harbin Church of the Annunciation: Destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
• Harbin Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother (Pokrov Church): Located on Dongdazhi Street. Completed on December 14, 1930, it is a medium-sized Byzantine-style church. Reopened on October 14, 1984.
• St. Iveron Church: Located in Daoli District. Built in 1908. A municipal Category II protected building. Through the renovation project of the North Square of Harbin Railway Station, the originally hidden Iveron Church in Factory Hutong has been revealed to the city again.
• Harbin Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God: Dongdazhi Street, Nangang District. Built in 1908. Now serves as the entrance exhibition hall of Harbin Cultural Park. A municipal Category I protected building.

9.6 Judaism

• Jewish Main Synagogue: Tongjiang Street, Daoli District. Built in 1907, rebuilt in 1931. Now the Vehicle Factory Guest House. A municipal Category II protected building.
• Jewish New Synagogue: No. 88 Jingwei Street, Daoli District. Built in 1918, now the Jewish New Synagogue Museum.
• Jewish School: No. 169 Shangyou Street, Daoli District. A municipal Category I protected building. Built in 1910, it was originally the Chinese Eastern Railway Staff Athletic Club. Now houses the Harbin Municipal Education Bureau. Known as the "Rose School."

10. Culture

Harbin's local culture is based on Han Chinese culture, incorporating elements of Manchu, Russian, and Jewish cultures. This fusion is particularly evident in urban construction, the cultural life and cuisine of its residents, and even in the local dialect, which retains Russian and Manchu vocabulary. Due to the city's early internationalization and cultural diversity, along with its beautiful natural scenery, Harbin has acquired a romantic cultural ambiance. The people of Harbin pay great attention to their attire and have a keen sense of fashion.

10.1 Cuisine

Harbin is renowned for its diverse culinary offerings. Harbin cuisine is represented by European-style dishes and Northern Chinese cuisine, characterized by a heavy use of soy sauce-based seasonings and a prevalence of frying, deep-frying, and stewing cooking methods.

Guo Bao Rou (Sweet and Sour Pork) is the most famous dish in the Northeastern Chinese culinary tradition. It is a sweet and sour dish primarily made with pork. This dish originated in the early 20th century at the Binjiang Daotai Fu (a government office) in Harbin. The preparation involves selecting pork tenderloin, slicing it, marinating it for flavor, coating it in a potato starch batter, deep-frying until golden and crispy, then stir-frying it with a sauce made from syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic, and finally thickening the sauce. The finished dish is golden in color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Harbin's Guo Bao Rou differs from modified versions found in other parts of China. For example, the Liaoning style uses ketchup and orange juice for the sauce, while the traditional Harbin style primarily features white vinegar and ginger, resulting in a distinct golden color and crispy texture. The original flavor of this dish was savory. To cater to foreign guests, Zheng Xingwen, the head chef at the Binjiang Daotai Fu, transformed it into a sweet and sour version. It was initially named "Guo Bao Rou" (literally "pot-explode meat"), but due to foreigners' pronunciation issues, it became known as "Guo Bao Rou" ("pot-wrap meat").

Demoli Stewed Live Fish is a famous Harbin dish originating from a small village named Demoli on the highway between Harbin and Jiamusi. Its reputation grew through word-of-mouth among passing truck drivers. Currently, the village has been developed into the Demoli Service Area on the Hatong Expressway. Other popular home-style dishes in Harbin include Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms, Stewed Pork with Vermicelli, Boiled Pork Slices, and Northeastern Sauce Bones.

Due to historical influences from a large number of Russian immigrants, Harbin cuisine also includes Russian-style dishes. In Harbin, particularly along Central Street, there are several authentic Russian-style Western restaurants.

Harbin Red Sausage (Hong Chang) is a famous local specialty. Harbin Red Sausage is primarily characterized by a smoked flavor, similar to Lithuanian and German sausages. Compared to other types of Chinese sausages, it has a strong European flavor. In 1900, Russian merchant Ivan Yakovlevich Churin founded Churin & Co. in Harbin, selling imported clothing, leather boots, canned food, vodka, etc., and began expanding its sales network across Northeast China. As Harbin's commerce and trade flourished, Europeans flocked to the city via the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Chinese Eastern Railway, increasing the demand for European-style foods. In 1909, the Churin Sausage Factory was established, using techniques from Lithuanian technicians to produce European-style sausages. This sausage was originally named "Lidaosi" (a transliteration of the Russian word "Литовский," meaning "Lithuanian"). Because of its reddish color, citizens called it "Red Sausage" (Hong Chang). Since then, Red Sausage has become a well-known Harbin specialty. In 1964, the then Heilongjiang Food Company abolished the transliterated names of ten main European-style products that had been used until then. Currently, popular Red Sausage brands among Harbin residents include Churin (Lidaosi), Harbin Meat United (Ha Rou Lian), and Shang Wei. Additionally, air-dried sausage is another Harbin specialty. Other varieties include Tea Sausage (Chayina), Songjiang Sausage (Yidaliansi), Harbin Sausage (Gelabusi), Ring Sausage (Wukelansi), and Ham (Laobake).

Da Lieba refers to the large, round Russian-style bread originally produced by the Churin Department Store, and broadly refers to all Russian bread. The name "Da Lieba" comes from the transliteration of the Russian word "Хлеб" (bread). Da Lieba is almost larger than a typical household steamer pot. This imported product, introduced by Russian bakers, has been sold in Harbin for nearly a century. In China, only Harbin has authentic traditional pastry chefs and facilities for baking Russian bread, making Da Lieba a distinctive Harbin food. According to traditional Russian rural customs, each village usually had only one communal bread oven. Families would periodically bake a batch of bread at this oven and then eat the stored bread at home. Therefore, the bread was made very large and sliced when eaten. Due to its long history, traditional techniques for making this large bread have developed. Unlike the soft, fluffy Asian-style bread commonly found in the Chinese market, Da Lieba has a slightly sour taste, is relatively hard, suitable for storage, and pairs well with European-style sausages for a unique flavor.

Kvass, a fermented beverage with a black bread flavor originating from Russia, is also popular in Harbin. Although it is a fermented product, it has a sweet and sour taste with low alcohol content, typically no more than 1.2% or even alcohol-free. This beverage was also introduced to Harbin by Russian immigrants in the late 19th century and became popular among citizens. In recent years, with marketing efforts by beverage manufacturers like Churin and Wahaha, Kvass has gradually been promoted across the country.

10.2 Music

Harbin is one of the first cities in China where European classical music was introduced. The Harbin Symphony Orchestra, established in April 1908, was China's first symphony orchestra. The Harbin First Music School, founded in May 1921, was China's first professional music school.

The Harbin Summer Music Concert, established in 1961, has been held 32 times to date and is one of China's three major music concerts. It is held biennially in August of even-numbered years. Along with the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and the Guangzhou Yangcheng Music Festival, it is known as one of China's three major music festivals. The Harbin Summer Music Concert once set a Guinness World Record for the most pianos playing simultaneously. On August 6, 2006, 1,001 pianos played together at the Harbin Flood Control Memorial Tower Square, performing four pieces: "Triumphal March," "Military March," "Radetzky March," and "On the Sun Island." This concert surpassed the previous world record of 600 pianos playing simultaneously, held by German musicians. In 2013, the China Harbin Summer Music Concert was promoted to a member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Arts Festival Alliance.

The Harbin Symphony Orchestra is the earliest established symphony orchestra in China. Its predecessor was the "Harbin Chinese Eastern Railway Administration Symphony Orchestra." During the 1920s and 1930s, it was once hailed as the premier symphony orchestra in the Far East. Influenced by history, compared to other domestic symphony orchestras, the Harbin Symphony Orchestra has collaborated more frequently with Russian conductors and artists. In 2008, to celebrate its centennial, the Harbin Symphony Orchestra performed the "First China Symphony Spring & Harbin Symphony Orchestra Centennial Celebration Symphony Concert" at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. It also held an exhibition and lecture on the orchestra's hundred-year history. Since its establishment, the Harbin Symphony Orchestra has nurtured musicians including former Central Philharmonic Orchestra concertmasters Xu Shuhui and Fan Shengkuan, associate concertmaster Yang Muyun, former Shanghai Municipal Council Symphony Orchestra conductor Slutsky, former Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster Helmut Stern, former Japan NHK Symphony Orchestra conductor Joseph König, and Osaka Symphony Orchestra conductor Meitler.

On June 22, 2010, Harbin, China, was awarded the title of "City of Music" by UNESCO and designated as a "Music City" within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. However, Harbin's name is currently not found on the official UNESCO Creative Cities Network website.

The Harbin Conservatory of Music was established in 2016. The Schoenfeld International String Competition has been held in Harbin since 2014 and settled there in 2018. In 2018, the Harbin Municipal Government and the Harbin Conservatory of Music jointly began organizing the International Music Competition Harbin (IMCH).

10.3 Winter Entertainment

Located in the northern part of the Northeast China Plain, Harbin is the northernmost metropolis in China. Influenced by the strongest Siberian cold high-pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere, the lowest temperature in January can drop below -35°C, earning it the nickname "Ice City." From December to March each year, Harbin builds various ice and snow sculptures to decorate its main streets and scenic spots.

The history of ice sculpture in Harbin can be traced back to the Ice Lantern Garden Party first held in Zhaolin Park in 1963. Since 1985, Harbin has hosted the China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival starting every January 5th. During the festival, large-scale ice lantern garden parties, Ice and Snow World, and Snow Sculpture Art Expo are held. The main exhibition areas are located on Sun Island and at the Ice and Snow World. The ice sculptures are made from large ice blocks harvested from the Songhua River, with the largest works reaching several tens of meters in height. The Ice and Snow World requires over 120,000 cubic meters of ice from the river annually. Harbin residents also utilize the climatic conditions to organize various winter entertainment activities, such as winter swimming, sledding, and ice skating. Particularly, swimming in square pools carved into the frozen surface of the Songhua River is known as "the sport of the brave." As the influence of winter swimming has grown, it has attracted enthusiasts from both within China and abroad to participate.

10.4 Media

Heilongjiang Television Station, located in Harbin, was established on December 20, 1958. It is one of the three earliest television stations established in mainland China. Its programs currently cover the entire mainland China region and over 50 countries and regions in Asia-Pacific. Harbin Television Station is also one of the earlier established city television stations in mainland China.In the Harbin newspaper retail market, four major urban daily newspapers dominate: Xin Wanbao, Dushi Zixun Bao, Shenghuo Bao, and Heilongjiang Chenbao. There are numerous magazines, among which Geyan, Dangdai Getan, and Dangdai Tiyu are well-known across mainland China, wielding extensive influence.

10.5 Festivals and Major Events

• China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival
• China-Russia Expo
• Harbin Summer Music Concert
• Harbin International Beer Festival Harbin Winter Clothing Festival

11. Sister Cities

• Japan: Niigata City, Asahikawa City

• Denmark: Aarhus

• Canada: Edmonton

• Russia: Sverdlovsk Oblast, Khabarovsk, Yakutsk, Krasnodar, Chelyabinsk, Murmansk, Vladivostok

• United States: Minneapolis, Fairfax County (Virginia)

• Poland: Warsaw

• Romania: Ploiești

• South Korea: Bucheon City

• Israel: Giv'atayim

• South Africa: Ekurhuleni

• Latvia: Daugavpils

• Brazil: Salvador

• Australia: Griffith

• New Zealand: South Taranaki District

• Finland: Rovaniemi

• Hungary: Nyíregyháza

• Italy: Riccione

• Philippines: Cagayan de Oro

• Chile: Pumareñas

• Thailand: Chiang Mai

• France: Communauté urbaine d'Arras

• Austria: Wiener Neustadt

• Germany: Magdeburg

• United Kingdom: Sunderland

• Turkey: Erzurum

• Greece: Chalandri

• Belarus: Vitebsk, Gomel

• Lithuania: Rokiškis

• Serbia: Užice

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Songbei District

Nangang District

The Han population accounts for 95.41%; the ethnic minority populations account for 4.59%.

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