AI overview
Harbin is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in northeast China, with nearly 5.8 million people in its built-up urban area and ranking as China's eighth most populous city. The city serves as a major regional center for northeast China and administers nine metropolitan districts, two county-level cities, and seven counties under its jurisdiction.
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Place details
- Locality
- 哈尔滨市
- Region
- 黑龙江省
- Country
- 中国
- Population
- 5,242,897
- Timezone
Travel guide
Understand
thumb|300px|Harbin International Snow and Ice Festival
Harbin is China's northernmost major city, with a population in excess of 10 million, and over 4 million in the city center alone. The city has been influenced a lot by neighboring Russia, in particular after the October Revolution of 1917, when the Russians of the White movement that supported the deposed czar escaped the country after the communist takeover, many of whom settled in Harbin. Although most of these Russians were deported back to Russia during the Soviet occupation of Harbin at the end of World War II, or fled following the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, the Russian influence remains clearly visible in the building styles and foods. As a significant minority of these White Russians were Jewish, Harbin also has much Jewish heritage to explore.
The city was founded in 1897 as a camp for Russian engineers surveying the Trans-Siberian Railway. Labor demands brought in a collection of outcasts from across Russia, Poland and even from within Manchuria. The city was captured by the Japanese during World War II and later taken back by the Soviet Union in 1945, before being returned to China in 1952. Once nothing more than a Russian-built outpost of the railway line, Harbin has managed to become a major player in its own right and the capital of Heilongjiang Province.
Buy
250px|thumb|Zhongyang Dajie, Harbin's main walking and shopping street at night
Imported Russian goods of all types and qualities are available from tourist shops around town. Look out for vodka, Russian dolls, and chocolate. The local Chinese appeared to have picked up some aspects of Russian cuisine, with western style bread and sausage available around town. Beyond this, the shopping is much like any other city in China.
Zhongyang Dajie The main shopping district is along Zhongyang Dajie where there is a Wal-Mart near the flood control monument and another shopping district along Guogeli Jie where you can find clothing, food and more. Along this street are huge new shopping malls such as the Euro Plaza, Parksons, and Lane Crawford that carry international brands and are expensive. There are Nike stores, KFC and interesting Russian thrift stores. The street is lined with beer gardens during the summer.
However in winter, the shops closed quite early due to bitter cold.
Guogeli Dajie (果戈里大街). Harbin's second biggest shopping district after Zhongyang Dajie (bigger in size). The area around here is dotted with Russian buildings and HUGE shopping complexes. At night there are numerous night markets, a small scale Russian church where people dance, and a small and lively "bar lake." Indian Street (印度一条街). A commercial side street right off Guogeli Dajie. If you're facing the East, it's past the giant castle and on your right. Used to be complete with Indian thrift stores, cl…
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