View source for Harbin

{{Short description|Capital of Heilongjiang, China}}
{{other uses|Harbin (disambiguation)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Harbin
| image_flag = <!--Flag of the City of Harbin.svg-->
| image_seal = <!--City seal of Harbin.png-->
| official_name      = 
| native_name        = 哈尔滨市
| native_name_lang   = zh-Hans
| other_name         = Ha'erbin, Haerhpin
| nicknames          = Ice City, Oriental Paris, Oriental Moscow, The pearl on the swan's neck
| settlement_type    = [[Prefecture-level city|Prefecture-level]] and [[sub-provincial city]]
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
|border            = infobox
|total_width       = 290
|image_style       = border:1;
| perrow           = 1/2/2/2
| image1           = 26935-Harbin (29661238117).jpg
| caption1         = [[Songhua River]]
| image2           = Central Street, Harbin 21.jpg
| caption2         = [[Central Street (Harbin)|Central Street]]
| image3           = 201907 Saint Sophia Cathedral, Harbin under renovation.jpg
| caption3         = [[Saint Sophia Cathedral, Harbin|Saint Sophia Cathedral]]
| image4           = Taiyang Island 26403-Harbin (44837835754).jpg
| caption4         = Sun Island
| image5           = John Pannell - Siberia - 2008 - DSC 3233 (2236782856).jpg
| caption5         = [[Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival|Harbin Ice and Snow World]]
| image6           = 巡道工出品 Photo by Xundaogong - panoramio (137).jpg
| caption6         = [[Nan'gang, Harbin|Nan'gang District]]
| image7           = Xiangjiang Park 2.jpg
| caption7         = [[Dragon Tower]]
}}
| image_map          = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=6|frame-lat=45.37|frame-long=128.15}}
| image_map1         = Location of Harbin Prefecture within Heilongjiang (China).png
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = Location of Harbin City (yellow) in Heilongjiang (light grey)
| pushpin_map        = China Heilongjiang#China
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the city center in Heilongjiang
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = China
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces of China|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Heilongjiang]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[County-level division|County-level&nbsp;divisions]]
| subdivision_name2  = 18 divisions,<ref name="Administrative Divisions">
{{cite web |url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Administrative_Divisions.htm |title=Administrative Divisions |publisher=Harbin Municipal Government |access-date=14 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017051915/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Administrative_Divisions.htm |archive-date=17 October 2012 }}</ref> including 9 urban districts, 2 County-level cities, and 7 counties
| seat_type          = Municipal seat
| seat               = [[Songbei District]]
| government_type    = [[Sub-provincial division|Sub-provincial city]]
| governing_body     = [[Harbin Municipal People's Congress]]
| leader_title       = [[Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary|CCP Secretary]]
| leader_name        = Wang Zhaoli
| leader_title1      = [[Harbin Municipal People's Congress|Congress]] Chairman
| leader_name1       = Zhao Ming
| leader_title2      = Mayor
| leader_name2       = Sun Zhe
| leader_title3      = [[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference|CPPCC]] Chairman
| leader_name3       = Qin Enting
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = before 1115
| established_title1 = Incorporated<br />&nbsp;- Town
| established_date1  = <br />1898
| established_title2 = &nbsp;- County
| established_date2  = 1905-10-31
| established_title3 = &nbsp;- Municipality
| established_date3  = 1921-02-05
| unit_pref          = 
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="Survey of the City">{{cite web |url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Survey_of_the_City.htm |title=Survey of the City |work=Basic Facts |publisher=Harbin Municipal Government |access-date=19 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130223304/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Survey_of_the_City.htm |archive-date=30 January 2013 }}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 53068
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_metro_km2     = 10204.8
| area_urban_km2     = 2454.5
| population_urban   = 6976136
| population_urban_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = 2020 census
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/china/heilongjiang/admin/|title = China: Hēilóngjiāng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map}}</ref>
| population_demonym = Harbinite, Harbinese
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 10009854
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_metro   = 5841929
| population_metro_footnotes = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| demographics_type2   = GDP
| demographics2_title1 = City
| demographics2_info1 = [[CN¥]] 575.1 billion<br />[[US$]] 92.3 billion 
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = CN¥ 59,027<br />US$ 9,477
| timezone           = [[Time in China|China Standard]]
| utc_offset         = +08:00
| coor_pinpoint      = Heilongjiang Provincial Museum
| coordinates        = {{coord|45.7576|N|126.6409|E|type:adm2nd_region:CN-23_source:Gaode|format=dms|display=it}}
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 150
| elevation_ft       = 488
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal code of China|Postal code]]
| postal_code        = 150000
| area_code          = [[Telephone numbers in China|451]]
| iso_code           = [[ISO 3166-2:CN|CN-HL-01]]
| blank_name         = [[License Plate (China)|License plate prefixes]]
| blank_info         = {{lang|zh-cn|黑A}}, {{lang|zh-cn|黑L}}
| blank7_name        = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank7_info        = [[Humid continental climate#Hot/warm summer subtype|Dwa]]
| blank1_name_sec2   = '''City flowers'''
| blank1_info_sec2   = [[Lilac]]
| website            = {{URL|https://www.harbin.gov.cn|harbin.gov.cn}}
| total_type         = City
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Harbin (Chinese and Manchu).svg
| piccap = "Harbin" in [[Simplified Chinese characters|Simplified Chinese]] (top), [[Traditional Chinese characters|Traditional Chinese]] (middle), and [[Manchu alphabet|Manchu]] (bottom) characters
| picsize = 175px
| s = {{linktext|哈尔滨}}
| t = {{linktext|哈爾濱}}
| p = Hā'ěrbīn
| w = Ha<sup>1</sup>-êrh<sup>3</sup>-pin<sup>1</sup>
| gr = Ha'eelbin
| bpmf = ㄏㄚ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄦˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄅㄧㄣ
| j = Haa1ji5ban1
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|AUD|Harbin pronunciation.ogg|h|a|1|.|er|3|b|in|1}}
| l = ([[Manchu language|Manchu]]) "Place of drying fishnets" or (Jurchen language) "Swan"
| mnc = <big>ᡥᠠᡵᠪᡳᠨ</big>
| mnc_rom = Harbin
| showflag = p
| order = st|[[Russian Language|Russian]]
| rus = {{Audio|Ru-Харбин.oga|Харби́н|help=no}}
| rusr = Kharbin
| c = 
| ci = 
| altname = 
}}
{{Contains special characters|Manchu}}
'''Harbin'''{{Efn|{{IPAc-en|h|a:r|'|b|I|n|,_|h|a:r|'|b|i:|n}} {{respell|har|BIN|,_|har|BEEN}};<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Harbin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519050933/https://www.lexico.com/definition/Harbin |archive-date=19 May 2021 |title=Harbin |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|Harbin}}</ref> {{lang-mnc|{{ManchuSibeUnicode|ᡥᠠᡵᠪᡳᠨ}}|v=Harbin}}, {{IPA|mnc|χarpin|IPA}}; {{lang-zh||s=哈尔滨|t=哈爾濱|p=Hā'ěrbīn}}; <small>IPA:</small> {{IPAc-cmn|AUD|Harbin pronunciation.ogg|h|a|1|.|er|3|b|in|1}}.}} is the capital of [[Heilongjiang]], China, and the largest city of the province—as well as the second largest [[urban area|urban]] population (after [[Shenyang]], [[Liaoning province]]) and the largest [[metropolitan area|metropolitan]] population (urban and [[rural]] regions together) in [[Northeast China]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Illuminating China's Provinces, Municipalities and Autonomous Regions-Heilongjiang|url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/43580.htm|publisher=PRC Central Government Official Website|year=2001|access-date=22 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228172129/http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/43580.htm|archive-date=28 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Harbin has direct jurisdiction over nine metropolitan districts, two county-level cities, and seven counties. It is the [[List of cities in China by population and built-up area|eighth most populous]] Chinese city according to the [[Seventh National Population Census of the People's Republic of China|2020 census]]. The built-up area of Harbin (which consists of all districts except [[Shuangcheng, Harbin|Shuangcheng]] and [[Acheng, Harbin|Acheng]]) has 5,841,929 inhabitants, while the total metropolitan population is up to 10,009,854, making it [[List of urban areas by population|one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world]]. Harbin serves as a key political, economic, scientific, cultural, and communications hub in Northeast China, as well as an important industrial base of the nation.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo" />

Several different etymologies have been offered for the city's name. The city government says the name means "[[swan]]" in the [[Jurchen language]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www-harbin-gov-cn.translate.goog/haerbin/c104495/listts.shtml?_x_tr_sl=zh-CN&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=zh-CN&_x_tr_pto=wapp |title=Searching for Urban Roots |publisher=harbin.gov.cn |access-date=19 July 2024 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and other sources say that it comes from a [[Manchu language|Manchu]] word meaning "a place for drying [[fishing net]]s".<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo">{{cite web |url=http://china-trade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/Fast-Facts/Harbin-Heilongjiang-City-Information/ff/en/1/1X000000/1X09WA24.htm |title=Harbin (Heilongjiang) City Information |publisher=hktdc.com |date=28 Jan 2014 |access-date=16 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416182257/http://china-trade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/Fast-Facts/Harbin-Heilongjiang-City-Information/ff/en/1/1X000000/1X09WA24.htm |archive-date=16 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/officialguideboo00zhon|title=The official guidebook of China|date=1982|publisher=Lee Pub. : A division of Hippocrene Books| location=New York, NY| page=186|isbn=978-0-86519-019-1 | via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The settlement grew from a small rural [[fishing village]] on the [[Songhua River]] to become one of the largest cities in Northeast China. Founded in 1898 with the coming of the [[Russian Empire|Russian]]-built [[Chinese Eastern Railway]], the city first prospered as a settlement inhabited by an overwhelming majority of immigrants from the Russian Empire.<ref name="Polishstudy"/> In the 1920s the city was considered China's [[fashion capital]], since new designs from [[Paris#Fashion|Paris]] and [[Moscow]] reached here first before arriving in [[Shanghai]].<ref>{{cite web|title=China information-Harbin section|url=http://www.kzzi.com/harbin|website=Kzzi.com/|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019032924/http://www.kzzi.com/harbin|archive-date=19 October 2014}}</ref> From 1932 until 1945, Harbin was the largest city in the [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]ese [[puppet state]] of [[Manchukuo]]. Well known for its historical Russian legacy and architecture, the city is famed for its European influence<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/04/world/asia/harbin-china-russia-architecture.html|title=Chinese City With a Russian Past Struggles to Preserve Its Legacy|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=4 June 2017|last=Zhao|first=Kiki|access-date=19 July 2022}}</ref> and serves as an important gateway in [[Sino-Russian relations#Economic relations|Sino-Russian trade]] today.

Harbin is one of the top 50 cities and metropolitan areas in the world by [[Nature Index|scientific research]] output.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Leading 200 science cities 2024{{!}} {{!}} Supplements {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.nature.com/nature-index/supplements/nature-index-2024-science-cities/tables/overall |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.nature.com}}</ref> The city hosts [[List of universities and colleges in Heilongjiang|several major universities]] in [[Northeast China]], including [[Harbin Engineering University]], [[Harbin Medical University]], [[Northeast Agricultural University]], [[Harbin University of Science and Technology]], [[Harbin Normal University]], [[Northeast Forestry University]], and [[Heilongjiang University]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2021-10-26|title=US News Best Global Universities Rankings in Harbin|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?city=harbin|access-date=2021-10-26|website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref> Notably, [[Harbin Institute of Technology]] is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world for engineering.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Best Global Universities for Engineering|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025131649/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering|archive-date=2017-10-25|access-date=2017-10-25|website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

Harbin was voted "China Top [[Tourist city|Tourist City]]" by the [[China National Tourism Administration]] in 2004.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo" /> Though known for its bitterly cold seasons, Harbin is heralded as the ''Ice City'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|冰}}{{linktext|城}}}}) for its winter tourism and recreations,<ref name="Xhnet">{{cite news |last1=Jianwei |first1=Wabng |date=2014-02-01 |title=People enjoy ice sculptures in Harbin |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-02/01/c_133088261.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424163510/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-02/01/c_133088261.htm |archive-date=24 April 2014 |access-date=15 October 2014 |publisher=English.news.cn |agency=Xinhua}}</ref> especially the [[Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival|ice sculpture festival]].<ref name="BBCsculpturemelting">{{cite web |title=Chinese ice sculptures melting |url=http://listening.gdufs.edu.cn/web/Article/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=1192 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305004712/http://listening.gdufs.edu.cn/web/Article/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=1192 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=22 April 2014 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> The city has hosted the [[1996 Asian Winter Games|1996 Winter Asian Games]], the [[2009 Winter Universiade]], and the [[2025 Asian Winter Games]].

==History==
===Early history===
Human settlement in the Harbin area dates from at least 2200 BC during the late [[Stone Age]]. [[Wanyan Aguda]], the founder and first emperor (reigned 1115–1123) of the [[Jin dynasty (1115–1234)|Jin dynasty]] (1115–1234), was born of the [[Jurchen people|Jurchen]] [[Wanyan]] tribes who resided near the [[Ashi River]] in this region.<ref>{{cite book|author1= Su Jinyuan|title=On Wanyan Aguda's Political and Economic Reform|date= February 1982|publisher=[[Collected Papers of History Studies]]}}</ref>  In AD&nbsp;1115 Aguda established Jin's capital, Shangjing [[Huiningfu]] (Upper Capital, Huining Prefecture), in today's [[Acheng District]] of Harbin.<ref name="chinakindnesstour.com">{{cite web |url= http://www.chinakindnesstour.com/cityguide/Harbin/Attractions/cityguide_2532.shtml |title= The Remains of Huining in Shangjing of Jin Dynasty |publisher= China Kindness Tour |access-date= 2014-10-15 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150923202824/http://www.chinakindnesstour.com/cityguide/Harbin/Attractions/cityguide_2532.shtml |archive-date= 2015-09-23 }}</ref> After Aguda's death, the succeeding emperor [[Emperor Taizong of Jin|Wanyang Sheng]] ordered the construction of a new city with a uniform plan. The planning and construction emulated major Chinese cities, in particular [[Bianjing]] ([[Kaifeng]]), although the Jin capital was smaller than its [[Northern Song]] prototype.<ref name="tao28">Tao (1976). Pages 28-32.</ref> Huining Prefecture served as the first superior capital of the Jin Empire until [[Wanyan Liang]] (the fourth emperor of the Jin Dynasty) moved the capital to Yanjing (now [[Beijing]]) in 1153.<ref name="tao44">Tao, p. 44.</ref> Liang even went to destroy all palaces in the former capital in 1157.<ref name="tao44" /> Wanyan Liang's successor Wanyan Yong ([[Emperor Shizong of Jin|Emperor Shizong]]) restored the city and established it as a secondary capital in 1173.<ref>[http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9003190 "A-ch'eng"]. (2006). In ''Encyclopædia Britannica''.  Retrieved 4 December 2006 from Encyclopædia Britannica Online.</ref> Ruins of the Shangjing Huining Prefecture were discovered and excavated about {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}} from present-day Acheng's central urban area.<ref name="chinakindnesstour.com" /><ref name="bowuguan" /> The site of the old Jin capital ruins is a national historic reserve and includes the {{ill|Jin Dynasty History Museum|zh|哈尔滨市阿城区金上京历史博物馆|vertical-align=sup}}. The public museum was renovated in late 2005.<ref name="bowuguan">{{cite web |url=http://ta.harbin.gov.cn/hrblvyouju/display.php?id=588 |script-title=zh:金上京历史博物馆 |publisher=Harbin People's Government |language=zh-cn}}{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Mounted statues of Aguda and of his chief commander [[Wanyan Nianhan|Wanyan Zonghan]] (also Nianhan) stand on the grounds of the museum.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://heilongjiang.northeast.cn/system/2005/09/19/050136470.shtml=|script-title= zh:阿骨打、粘罕雕像落成 Aguda's and Nianhan's statues completed|access-date= 15 October 2014|publisher= 东北网| language=zh-hans|title= Funny Games Enjoy Now}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Many of the artifacts found there are on display in nearby Harbin.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

After the [[Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty|Mongol conquest of the Jin Empire]] (1211–1234), Huining Prefecture was abandoned. In the 17th century, the Manchus used building materials from Huining Prefecture to construct their new stronghold in [[Acheng District|Alchuka]]. The region of Harbin remained largely rural until the 19th century, by the end of which over ten villages and about 30,000 people arrived in the city's present-day urban districts.<ref name="Historical Evolution">{{cite web |url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Historical_Evolution.htm |title=Historical Evolution |publisher=Harbin Municipal Government |access-date=2017-01-17 |quote=At the end of the 19th century, there were over ten villages and about 30,000 people in Harbin, and the economic elements such as transportation, trade, and population began to develop, which laid the foundation for formation and development of the city. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130223146/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Historical_Evolution.htm |archive-date=2013-01-30 }}</ref>

===International city===
{{See also|Harbin Russians}}

This small village in 1898 grew into the modern city of Harbin.<ref>{{cite book|title=Consul Hosie to Bax-Ironside|date=8 May 1899|series=Correspondence with the United States' Government Respecting Foreign Trade in China|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924023185204|page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924023185204/page/n331 154]|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |script-title=zh:哈尔滨市志 |trans-title=History of Harbin |author=哈尔滨市地方志编纂委员会 |year=1998 |publisher=黑龙江人民出版社 (Heilongjiang People's Press) |isbn=978-7-207-03841-8|language=zh}}</ref> [[Poland|Polish]] engineer [[Adam Szydłowski]] drew plans for the city following the construction of the [[Chinese Eastern Railway]], which the [[Russian Empire]] had financed.<ref name="Polishstudy">{{cite web|title=Polish Studies in China|url=http://www.warsawvoice.pl/WVpage/pages/article.php/21997/article|website=The Warsaw Voice|access-date=15 October 2014|date=30 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006092304/http://www.warsawvoice.pl/WVpage/pages/article.php/21997/article|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The Russians selected Harbin as the base of their administration over this railway and the [[Chinese Eastern Railway Zone]]. The railways were largely constructed by Russian engineers and indentured workers. The Chinese Eastern Railway extended the [[Trans-Siberian Railway]], substantially reducing the distance from [[Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai|Chita]] to [[Vladivostok]] and also linking the new port city of Dalny ([[Dalian]]) and the Russian naval base of Port Arthur ([[Lüshun]]). The settlement founded by the Russian-owned Chinese Eastern Railway quickly turned into a [[boomtown]], growing into a city within five years. In addition to the Russians, other Russian-speaking settlers in Harbin came from all over the Russian Empire, including Ukrainians, Poles, Jews, Georgians, and [[Tatar people|Tatars]], eventually making Harbin a Russian town, with the majority coming from the south of European Russia.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=311}}

The city was intended as a showcase for Russian imperialism in Asia, and the American scholar [[Simon Karlinsky]], who was born in Harbin in 1924 to a Russian-Jewish family, wrote that in Harbin "the buildings, boulevards, and parks were planned—well before the [[October Revolution]]—by distinguished Russian architects and also by Swiss and Italian town planners", giving the city a very European appearance.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=311}} Starting in the late 19th century, a mass influx of Han Chinese arrived and, taking advantage of the rich soils, founded farms that soon turned Manchuria into the "breadbasket of China". Others went to work in the mines and factories, making the northeast one of the first regions of China to industrialize. Harbin became one of the main points from which food and industrial products were shipped out of Manchuria.  A sign of Harbin's wealth was the theatre that was established during its first decade. In 1907 the play ''[[K zvezdam]]'' by [[Leonid Andreyev]] premiered there.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|pp=312–313}}

During the [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904–05), Russia used Harbin as its base for military operations in Manchuria. Following Russia's defeat, its influence declined. Several thousand nationals from 33 countries, including the United States, Germany, and France, moved to Harbin. Sixteen countries established consulates to serve their nationals, who established several hundred industrial, commercial, and banking companies. Churches were rebuilt for [[Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin|Russian Orthodox]], [[Harbin Nangang Christian Church|Lutheran/German Protestant]], and [[Sacred Heart Cathedral of Harbin|Polish Catholic]] Christians. Chinese capitalists also established businesses, especially in brewing, food, and textiles, making Harbin the economic hub of northeastern China and an international metropolis.<ref name="Historical Evolution"/>

The rapid growth of the city challenged the public healthcare system. The worst-ever recorded outbreak of [[pneumonic plague]] spread to Harbin through the Trans-Manchurian railway from the border trade port of [[Manzhouli]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jing-tao|first1=Wang|script-title=zh:试析二十世纪初东北鼠疫与延边地区防疫卫生状况 |title=Analysis of the Rat Plague of Northeast China and the Sanitary and Antiepidemic Condition of Yanbian in the Early 20th Century|url=http://www.fabiao.net/content-41-56742-1.html|access-date=15 October 2014|language=zh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030170717/http://www.fabiao.net/content-41-56742-1.html|archive-date=30 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The plague lasted from late autumn of 1910 to spring 1911 and killed 1,500 Harbin residents (mostly ethnic Chinese), or about five percent of its population at the time.<ref name=JSTOR>{{cite journal|last1=Gamsa|first1=M.|title=The Epidemic of Pneumonic Plague in Manchuria 1910-1911|journal=Past & Present|date=1 February 2006|issue=190|pages=147–183|doi=10.1093/pastj/gtj001|s2cid=161797143}}</ref> This turned out to be the beginning of the large so-called [[Manchurian plague]] [[pandemic]], which ultimately claimed 60,000 victims. In the winter of 1910, Dr. [[Wu Lien-teh]] (later the founder of [[Harbin Medical University]]) was given instructions from the Foreign Office in Peking (Beijing) to travel to Harbin to investigate the plague. Dr. Wu asked for imperial sanction to cremate plague victims, which became the turning point for the epidemic. The suppression of this plague pandemic changed medical progress in China. Bronze statues of Dr. Wu Lien-teh were built at [[Harbin Medical University]] to commemorate his contributions in promoting public health, preventive medicine, and medical education.<ref>{{cite web|last=Article in Chinese|title=130th memorial of Dr. Wu Lien-teh|url=http://website.hrbmu.edu.cn/view/xywh/article/000543.html|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324201916/http://website.hrbmu.edu.cn/view/xywh/article/000543.html|archive-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>

The first generation of Harbin Russians was composed of the railroad builders and employees who had moved to Harbin to work for the Chinese Eastern Railway. At the time Harbin was not yet an established city, having been almost built from scratch by the early settlers. Houses were constructed, furniture and personal items were brought in from Russia. After the [[Manchurian plague]] epidemic, Harbin's population continued to increase sharply, especially within the Chinese Eastern Railway Zone. In 1913 the Chinese Eastern Railway census showed its ethnic composition as: [[Russians]]&nbsp;– 34,313, Chinese (including [[Han Chinese|Hans]], [[Manchus]], etc.)&nbsp;– 23,537, Jews&nbsp;– 5,032, [[Polish people|Poles]]&nbsp;– 2556, Japanese&nbsp;– 696, [[Germans]]&nbsp;– 564, [[Tatars]]&nbsp;– 234, [[Latvians]]&nbsp;– 218, [[Georgians]]&nbsp;– 183, [[Estonians]]&nbsp;– 172, [[Lithuanians]]&nbsp;– 142, [[Armenians]]&nbsp;– 124; there were also [[Crimean Karaites|Karaims]], [[Ukrainians]], [[Bashkirs]], and some Western Europeans. In total, there were 68,549 citizens of 53 nationalities, speaking 45 languages.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sinoforum.pl/historia/harbin-najbardziej-polskie-z-chinskich-miast/ |title=Sinoforum&nbsp;– Harbin |publisher=Sinoforum.pl |access-date=2011-03-16 |language=pl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203161843/http://sinoforum.pl/historia/harbin-najbardziej-polskie-z-chinskich-miast/ |archive-date=2010-02-03 }}</ref> Research shows that only 11.5 percent of all residents were born in Harbin.<ref>Bakich, Olga Mikhailovna, "Emigre Identity: The Case of Harbin", ''The South Atlantic Quarterly'', Vol.99, No.1 (2000): 51–73.</ref> By 1917, Harbin's population exceeded 100,000, with over 40,000 of them being ethnic Russians.<ref name="эхо" />

Immediately after the [[February Revolution]] of 1917, the [[Harbin Soviet]] was organized.<ref name="Lee1983">{{cite book|author=Chong-Sik Lee|title=Revolutionary Struggle in Manchuria: Chinese Communism and Soviet Interest, 1922-1945|url=https://archive.org/details/revolutionarystr00leec|url-access=registration|year=1983|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-04375-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/revolutionarystr00leec/page/27 27]}}</ref> It sought to seize control over the [[Chinese Eastern Railway]] and to defend Russian citizens in [[Manchuria]].<ref name="SladkovskiÄ1966">{{cite book|author=Mikhail Iosifovich Sladkovski|title=History of Economic Relations Between Russia and China &#91;by&#93; M.I. Sladkovskii|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VAk8RqPYfPgC&pg=PA145|date=1 January 1966|publisher=Transaction Publishers|isbn=978-1-4128-2519-1|page=145}}</ref> The [[Bolsheviks|Bolshevik]] [[Martemyan Ryutin]] was the chairman of the Harbin Soviet.<ref name="Bisher2006"/>

After Russia's [[Great October Socialist Revolution]] in November 1917, the new Soviet government in Russia recognized the Harbin Soviet as its representation in Manchuria and placed Russian citizens in Manchuria under its protection.<ref name="SladkovskiÄ1966"/> Subsequently, the Harbin Soviet requested recognition of the local ''[[taotai]]''.<ref name="SladkovskiÄ1966"/> On 12 December 1917,<!-- old or new style?? --> Bolsheviks seized control over the Harbin Soviet, pressuring Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries to leave the body.<ref name="Bisher2006">{{cite book|author=Jamie Bisher|title=White Terror: Cossack Warlords of the Trans-Siberian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mg6RAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42|date=16 January 2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=1-135-76595-2|page=42}}</ref> Through ''Golos Truda'' the Harbin Soviet declared itself as the government of the area.<ref name="Lee1983"/><ref name="Bisher2006"/> On 18 December 1917, the Harbin Soviet dismissed the Chinese Eastern Railway administrator [[Dmitry Horvat]] and directed its militia to seize control of the railway installations.<ref name="Lee1983"/><ref name="Bisher2006"/> The Bolshevik militia was soon confronted by Chinese troops and Horvat loyalists, who disarmed and deported some 1,560 Bolshevik fighters.<ref name="Lee1983"/><ref name="Bisher2006"/> Ryutin went underground.<ref name="Bisher2006"/>

In 1920 more than 100,000 defeated [[Russian White Guard]]s and refugees retreated to Harbin, which became a major center of [[White movement|White Russian]] [[émigré]]s and the largest Russian community outside the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name="эхо" /> Karlinsky noted that a major difference with the Russian émigrés who arrived in Harbin was: "Unlike the Russian émigrés who went to Paris or Prague or even to Shanghai, the new residents of Harbin were not a minority surrounded by a foreign population. They found themselves instead in an almost totally Russian city, populated mainly by people with roots in the south of European Russia."{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=311}} The city had a Russian school system, as well as publishers of Russian-language newspapers and journals. The Russian ''Harbintsy''{{efn|"Harbintsy" is the Russian word for "people of Harbin", cf. Berliners, New Yorkers, Muscovites. It applies to any nationality, not just Russians. While the paper focuses on Russian Harbintsy, many of their experiences were shared by Russians living elsewhere in "Russian Manchuria".}} community numbered around 120,000 at its peak in the early 1920s.<ref name="maramoustafine">
{{cite web
|url=http://maramoustafine.com/wp-content/uploads/the-harbin-connection-anu-2004.pdf
|title=The Harbin Connection: Russians from China
|publisher=from Shen Yuanfang and Penny Edwards (eds) Beyond China: Migrating Identities, Centre for the Study of the Southern Chinese Diaspora, Australian National University, Canberra, 2002, pp7587
|access-date=23 April 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191753/http://maramoustafine.com/wp-content/uploads/the-harbin-connection-anu-2004.pdf
|archive-date=3 March 2016
|url-status=live
}}
</ref> Many of Harbin's Russians were wealthy, which sometimes confused foreign visitors who expected them to be poor, with for instance the American writer [[Harry A. Franck]] in his 1923 book, ''Wanderings in North China'', writing the Russian "ladies as well gowned as at the Paris races [who] strolled with men faultlessly garbed by European standards", leading him to wonder how they had achieved this "deceptive appearance".{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=312}}

The [[Harbin Institute of Technology]] was established in 1920 as the Harbin Sino-Russian School for Industry to educate railway engineers via a Russian method of instruction. Students could select from two majors at the time: Railway Construction or Electric Mechanic Engineering. On 2 April 1922, the school was renamed the Sino-Russian Industrial University. The original two majors eventually developed into two major departments: the Railway Construction Department and the Electric Engineering Department. Between 1925 and 1928 the university's rector was [[Leonid Ustrugov]], the Russian Deputy Minister of Railways under [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] before the [[Russian Revolution]]. He served as the Minister of Railways under [[Admiral Kolchak]]'s government and was a key figure in the development of the [[Chinese Eastern Railway]].

The Russian community in Harbin made it their mission to preserve the pre-revolutionary culture of Russia. The city had numerous Russian language newspapers, journals, libraries, theatres, and two opera companies.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=313–314}} One of the famous Russian poets in Harbin was [[Valery Pereleshin]], who started publishing his intensely [[Homosexuality|homoerotic]] poetry in 1937 and was also one of the few Russian writers in Harbin who learned Mandarin.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=315–316}} The subject of Pereleshin's poetry caused problems with the [[Russian Fascist Party]] and led Pereleshin to leave for Shanghai, and ultimately to the United States.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=315–316}} Not all of the Russian newspapers were of high quality, with Karlinsky calling ''[[Nash Put' (newspaper)|Nash put'<nowiki/>]]'', the newspaper of the [[Russian Fascist Party]], "the lowest example of gutter journalism that Harbin had ever seen".{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=315}} [[Nikolai Baikov]], another Russian writer, was known for his novels of exiled life in Harbin together with his accounts of his travels across Manchuria and the folklore of its Manchu and Chinese population.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=315}} [[Boris Yulsky]], a young Russian who published his short stories in the newspaper ''[[Rubezh (newspaper)|Rubezh]]'', was considered to be a promising writer whose career was cut short when he gave up literature for activism in the Russian Fascist Party and a cocaine addiction.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=315}} [[Kyakhta Russian–Chinese Pidgin|Moya-tvoya]] (mine–yours), a [[pidgin]] language that was a combination of Russian and [[Mandarin Chinese]] that had developed in the 19th century when Chinese went to work in Siberia, was considered essential by the Chinese businesspeople of Harbin.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=313}}

In the early 1920s, according to Chinese scholars' recent studies, over 20,000 Jews lived in Harbin.<ref>Patrick Fuliang Shan, "'A Proud and Creative Jewish Community:' The Harbin Diaspora, Jewish Memory and Sino-Israeli Relations", American Review of China Studies, Fall 2008, pp. 15–29.</ref> After 1919, Dr. [[Abraham Kaufman]] played a leading role in Harbin's large Russian Jewish community.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7QEjPVyd9YMC|title=Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World. Volume I: Overviews and Topics; Volume II: Diaspora Communities|first1=Melvin|last1=Ember|first2=Carol R.|last2=Ember|first3=Ian|last3=Skoggard|date=30 November 2004|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-0-306-48321-9|access-date=27 August 2016|via=Google Books|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508113750/https://books.google.com/books?id=7QEjPVyd9YMC|archive-date=8 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] discontinued diplomatic relations with the [[Russian Republic]] in 1920, leaving many Russians stateless.{{Explain|date=October 2022}} When the Chinese Eastern Railway and government in Beijing announced in 1924 that they agreed the railroad would employ only Russian or Chinese nationals, the émigrés were forced to declare their ethnic and political allegiances. Most accepted Soviet citizenship.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The Chinese warlord [[Zhang Xueliang]], the "Young Marshal", seized the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1929. The Soviet military force quickly put an end to the crisis and forced the [[Kuomintang|Nationalist Chinese]] to accept the restoration of joint Soviet-Chinese administration of the railway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/stalin/lectures/CollectSec.html|title=Collective security|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705195940/http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/stalin/lectures/CollectSec.html|archive-date=5 July 2008}}</ref>

===Japanese invasion period===
{{See also|Defense of Harbin|Unit 731}}
[[File:Unit 731 - Complex.jpg|thumb|left|Headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Army's covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit (Unit 731)]]
Japan invaded [[Manchuria]] outright after the [[Mukden Incident]] in September 1931. After the Japanese captured [[Qiqihar]] in the [[Jiangqiao Campaign]], the [[4th Mixed Brigade (Imperial Japanese Army)|Japanese 4th Mixed Brigade]] moved toward Harbin, closing in from the west and south. Bombing and strafing by Japanese aircraft forced the Chinese army to retreat, and within a few hours the Japanese occupation of Harbin was complete.<ref>Matsuzaka, ''The Making of Japanese Manchuria'', 1904–1932.</ref>

With the establishment of the [[puppet state]] of [[Manchukuo]], the so-called "[[pacification of Manchukuo]]" began as volunteer armies continued to fight the Japanese. Harbin became a major operations base for the infamous medical experimenters of [[Unit 731]], who killed people of all ages and ethnicities. These units were known collectively as the ''Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army''.<ref>Yuki Tanaka, ''Hidden Horrors'', 1996, p. 136.</ref> The main facility of Unit 731 was built in 1935 at [[Pingfang District]], approximately {{convert|24|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of Harbin's urban area at that time.<ref name="SHK1">{{cite book| last=Harris|first=Sheldon H.| title=Factories of Death: Japanese Biological Warfare 1932–45 and the American Cover-Up| year=1994| publisher=Routledge |location=California State University, Northridge |isbn=0-415-93214-9| pages=26–33|quote=Page 26: Zhong Ma Prison Camp's creation; Page 33: Pingfang site's creation.}}</ref>
Between 3,000 and 12,000 citizens, including men, women, and children,<ref name="dcr">David C. Rapoport. "Terrorism and Weapons of the Apocalypse". In James M. Ludes, Henry Sokolski (eds.), ''Twenty-First Century Weapons Proliferation: Are We Ready?'' Routledge, 2001. pp. 19, 29.</ref><ref>[[Khabarovsk War Crime Trials]]. ''Materials on the Trial of Former Servicemen of the Japanese Army Charged with Manufacturing and Employing Biological Weapons'', Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1950. p. 117.</ref>—from which around 600 every year were provided by the ''[[Kempeitai]]''<ref>Yuki Tanaka, ''Hidden Horrors'', Westviewpress, 1996, p. 138.</ref>—died during the human experiments conducted by Unit 731 at the camp based in [[Pingfang]] alone, which does not include victims from other medical experimentation sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lit.osaka-cu.ac.jp/user/tsuchiya/gyoseki/presentation/IAB8.html|title=[IAB8] Imperial Japanese Medical Atrocities|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043000/http://www.lit.osaka-cu.ac.jp/user/tsuchiya/gyoseki/presentation/IAB8.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Almost 70 percent of the victims who died in the [[Pingfang]] camp were [[Chinese people|Chinese]], including both civilians and military.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:旧日本軍の７３１部隊（細菌部隊）人体実験に朝鮮人 日本の公文書で初確認 |trans-title=AII The War Crime "Unit 731" and Chinese, Korean Civilian. ci|url=http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/sinboj/sinboj2002/8/0826/81.htm|website=Korea-np.co.jp|publisher=조선신보|language=ja|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813034434/http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/sinboj/sinboj2002/8/0826/81.htm|archive-date=13 August 2015}}</ref> Close to 30 percent of the victims were Russian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.x-libri.ru/elib/morim000/00000036.htm|trans-title=Seiichi Morimura, The Devil's Gluttony|script-title=ru:Моримура Сэйити Кухня Дьявола-доставка В Живом Виде По Первому Требованию|year=1981|language=ru|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906073729/http://www.x-libri.ru/elib/morim000/00000036.htm|archive-date=6 September 2014}}</ref> The Russian Fascist Party had the task of capturing "unreliable" Russians living in Harbin to hand over to Unit 731 to serve as the unwilling subjects of the gruesome experiments.<ref>Bisher, Jamie ''White Terror: Cossack Warlords of the Trans-Siberian'', London: Routledge, 2005 p.305.</ref>

Some others were [[Southeast Asians]] and [[Pacific Islanders]] from the colonies of the [[Empire of Japan]], and a small number were the [[prisoners of war]] from the [[Allies of World War II]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cc.matsuyama-u.ac.jp/~tamura/731butai.htm |trans-title=The devil unit, Unit 731 |script-title=ja:７３１部隊について|language=ja|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923171112/http://www.cc.matsuyama-u.ac.jp/~tamura/731butai.htm|archive-date=23 September 2010}}</ref> (although many more Allied POWs were victims at other unit sites). Prisoners of war were subjected to [[vivisection]] without anesthesia after being infected with various diseases.<ref name="dissect">{{cite news |title=Dissect them alive: order not to be disobeyed |author=Richard Lloyd Parry |newspaper=Times Online |date=25 February 2007 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1438491.ece |location=London |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228095300/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1438491.ece |archive-date=28 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other prisoners were inoculated with diseases, disguised as vaccinations, to study the effects. Unit 731 and its affiliated units (Unit 1644 and Unit 100 among others) were involved in research, development, and experimental deployment of epidemic-creating biowarfare weapons for assaults against the Chinese populace (both civilian and military) throughout World War II. Human targets were also used for testing [[flame throwers]] and [[grenades]], placed at various distances and in different positions. Victims were also tied to stakes and used as targets to test [[germ warfare|germ-releasing bombs]], [[chemical weapons]], and explosive [[bomb]]s.<ref>Monchinski, Tony (2008). ''Critical Pedagogy and the Everyday Classroom''. Volumen 3 de Explorations of Educational Purpose. Springer, p. 57. {{ISBN|1-4020-8462-5}}.</ref><ref>Neuman, William Lawrence (2008). ''Understanding Research''. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, p. 65. {{ISBN|0-205-47153-6}}.</ref>

Twelve Unit 731 members were found guilty in the [[Khabarovsk War Crime Trials]] but later repatriated. Others received secret immunity by the [[Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers]], [[Douglas MacArthur]], before the [[Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal]] in exchange for their [[biological warfare]] work in the [[Cold War]] for the American Forces.<ref name="Gold109">Hal Gold, ''Unit 731 Testimony'', 2003, p. 109.</ref>

[[File:Three different nationalities on Kitaiskaia Street.JPG|thumb|Three different nationalities – Chinese, Japanese and Russian – on Kitaiskaia Street]]
Chinese revolutionaries including [[Zhao Shangzhi]], [[Yang Jingyu]], [[Li Zhaolin]], [[Zhao Yiman]] continued to struggle against the Japanese in Harbin and its administrative area, commanding the main anti-Japanese guerrilla army-[[Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army]]—which was originally organized by the Manchurian branch of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP). The army was supported by the [[Comintern]] after the CCP Manchurian Provincial Committee was dissolved in 1936.

[[File:Russian fascists at Harbin 1934.jpg|thumb|left|Anti–communist [[Russian Fascist Party]] [[Blackshirts]], inspired by [[Italian Fascism]], at [[Harbin Railway Station]], 1934, waiting for arrival of their leader [[Konstantin Rodzaevsky]]]]
Under the Manchukuo régime and Japanese occupation, Harbin Russians had a difficult time. In 1935 the Soviet Union sold the Chinese Eastern Railway (KVZhD) to the Japanese, and many Russian émigrés left Harbin (48,133 of them were arrested during the Soviet [[Great Purge]] between 1936 and 1938 as "Japanese spies"<ref>These statistics, based on research work by A. B. Roginsky and O. A. Gorlanov of Memorial's Research and Information Centre, were provided to the author in May 2002.</ref>).<ref name="эхо">{{cite book |script-title=ru:Эхо планеты № 42 |trans-title=Echo of the Planet No.42|publisher=ИТАР-ТАСС (Russian News Agency "TASS")|page=30|language=ru}}</ref> Most departing Russians returned to the Soviet Union, but a substantial number moved south to Shanghai or emigrated to the United States and Australia. By the end of the 1930s, the Russian population of Harbin had dropped to around 30,000.<ref name="Clausen"/>

Many of Harbin's Jews (13,000 in 1929) fled after the Japanese occupation, as the Japanese associated closely with militant anti-Soviet [[Russian Fascist Party|Russian Fascists]], whose ideology of anti-Bolshevism and nationalism was laced with virulent anti-Semitism.<ref name="RFP">Stephan, John J. 1978. The Russian Fascists: Tragedy and Farce in Exile 192545. London: Hamish Hamilton.</ref> The Kwantung Army-sponsored and financed the Russian Fascist Party, which after 1932 started to play an oversized role in Harbin's Russian community as its thugs began to harass and sometimes kill those opposed to it. Most Jews left for [[Shanghai]], [[Tianjin]], and the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Huang|title=Shanghai Jews as seen by Chinese Jewish People in Shanghai for 138 years|url=http://www.dangoor.com/71page18.html|website=The Scribe|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823074407/http://www.dangoor.com/71page18.html|archive-date=23 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In the late 1930s, some German Jews fleeing the Nazis moved to Harbin. Japanese officials later facilitated Jewish emigration to several cities in western Japan, notably [[Kobe]], which came to have Japan's largest synagogue.

===After World War II===
[[File:Pamyatnik sovetskim voinam.jpg|thumb|left|[[Soviet Red Army Monument, Harbin|Monument to Soviet soldier]]s in Harbin's Nangang District, built by Soviet Red Army in 1945]]
The [[Red Army|Soviet Army]] [[Soviet invasion of Manchuria|took the city]] on 20 August 1945<ref name="Glantz">LTC David M. Glantz, [http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/LP7_AugustStormTheSoviet1945StrategicOffensiveInManchuria.pdf "August Storm: The Soviet 1945 Strategic Offensive in Manchuria"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723082515/http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/resources/csi/glantz3/glantz3.asp|date=2011-07-23}}. Leavenworth Papers No. 7, Combat Studies Institute, February 1983, [[Fort Leavenworth]] [[Kansas]].<!-- Mirrored at, or redirected from/to, http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/glantz3/glantz3.asp --></ref> and Harbin never came under the control of the [[Nationalist Government]], whose troops stopped {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}} short of the city.<ref name="USSR1991">{{cite web|script-title=ru:Освобождение городов КИТАЙ(Liberation of Cities-China)|url=http://www.soldat.ru/spravka/freedom/6-china.html|website=Soldat.ru|access-date=15 October 2014|language=ru|date=9 May 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702175103/http://soldat.ru/spravka/freedom/6-china.html|archive-date=2 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The city's administration was transferred by the departing Soviet Army to the Chinese [[People's Liberation Army]] in April 1946. On 28 April 1946, the [[Soviet occupation of Harbin|communist government of Harbin]] was established, making the 700,000-citizen city the first large city governed by the communists.<ref name="Historical Evolution"/> During the short occupation of Harbin by the Soviet Army (August 1945 to April 1946), thousands of Russian émigrés who had been identified as members of the [[Russian Fascist Party]] and had fled from communism after the Russian October Revolution<ref name="maramoustafine"/> were forcibly deported to the Soviet Union. After 1952, the Soviet Union launched a second wave of repatriation.<ref name="maramoustafine"/> By 1964, the Russian population in Harbin had been reduced to 450.<ref name="Clausen">Hal Gold, Clausen, Søren and Stig Thøgersen (eds). 1995. The Making of a Chinese City:History and Historiography in Harbin. New York: M. E. Sharpe.</ref> The rest of the European community (Russians, Germans, Poles, Greeks, etc.) emigrated from 1950 to 1954 to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, and the U.S. or were repatriated to their home countries.<ref name="maramoustafine"/> By 1988, the original Russian community numbered just thirty, all of them elderly. Modern Russians living in Harbin mostly moved there in the 1990s and 2000s and bear no relation to the previous generations.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Harbin was one of the key construction cities of China during the First Five-Year Plan period from 1951 to 1956. Thirteen of the 156 key construction projects were aid-constructed by the Soviet Union in Harbin. This project made Harbin an important industrial base of China. During the [[Great Leap Forward]] from 1958 to 1961, Harbin experienced a very tortuous development course as several Sino-Soviet contracts were cancelled by the Soviet Union.<ref>Chinese Government's Official Web Portal (English). [http://english.gov.cn/2005-08/06/content_20912.htm China: a country with 5,000-year-long civilization] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601053642/http://english.gov.cn/2005-08/06/content_20912.htm |date=2012-06-01 }}. retrieved 2011-09-03.</ref> During the [[Cultural Revolution]] many foreign and Christian structures were uprooted. On 23 August 1966, [[Red Guards (People's Republic of China)|Red Guards]] stormed into St. Nicholas Cathedral and burned its icons on the streets while chanting xenophobic slogans before destroying the church.{{sfn|Karlinsky|2013|p=314}} As the normal economic and social orders were seriously disrupted, Harbin's economy also suffered serious setbacks—the main reasons being the deteriorating Soviet ties and the escalation of the [[Vietnam War]], which made China concerned of a possible nuclear attack. [[Mao Zedong]] ordered an evacuation of military and other key state enterprises from the northeastern frontier, with Harbin being the core zone of this region bordering the [[Soviet Union]]. During this [[Third Front (China)|Third Front Development]] era of China, several major factories of Harbin were relocated to southwestern provinces including [[Gansu]], [[Sichuan]], [[Hunan]], and [[Guizhou]], where they would be strategically secure in the event of a possible war. Some major universities of China were also moved out of Harbin, including Harbin Military Academy of Engineering (predecessor of Changsha's [[National University of Defense Technology]]) and Harbin Institute of Technology (moved to [[Chongqing]] in 1969 and relocated to Harbin in 1973).<ref>{{cite web|title=Japan-China Relations in the 21st Century|url=http://www.keidanren.or.jp/english/policy/2001/006.html|website=Kendairen.or.jp|publisher=Japan Federation of Economic Organizations|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323225647/http://www.keidanren.or.jp/english/policy/2001/006.html|archive-date=23 March 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Harbin Jewish Cemetery1.jpg|thumb|left|Huang Shan Jewish Cemetery of Harbin]]
National economy and social service have obtained significant achievements since the [[Chinese economic reform]] first introduced in 1979. Harbin holds the China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair each year since 1990.<ref name="Historical Evolution"/> Harbin once housed one of the largest Jewish communities in the Far East before World War II. It reached its peak in the mid-1920s when 25,000 [[European Jews]] lived in the city. Among them were the parents of [[Ehud Olmert]], the former [[Prime Minister of Israel]]. In 2004, Olmert came to Harbin with an Israeli trade delegation to visit the grave of his grandfather in Huang Shan Jewish Cemetery,<ref name="Olmert">
{{cite news
|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200603/30/eng20060330_254474.html
|title=Harbin people congratulate Olmert on Israeli election success
|newspaper=People's Daily
|date=30 March 2006
|access-date=15 October 2014
}}</ref> which had over 500 Jewish graves identified.<ref name="maramoustafine"/>

On 5 October 1984, Harbin was designated a [[sub-provincial city]] by the [[Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party|Organization Department of the CCP Central Committee]]. The eight counties of Harbin originally formed part of Songhuajiang Prefecture whose seat was practically located inside the urban area of Harbin since 1972. The prefecture was officially merged into Harbin city on 11 August 1996, increasing Harbin's total population to 9.47&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=zh:哈尔滨市历史沿革|url=http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/hl/32696.html|website=Xzqh.org|access-date=15 October 2014|language=zh-hans|date=2014-05-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107051755/http://www.xzqh.org/html/show/hl/32696.html|archive-date=7 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

Harbin hosted [[1996 Asian Winter Games|the third Asian Winter Games]] in 1996.<ref>[http://www.cpi.com.cn/cpi-e/stamp/1996/1996-2.asp World of Chinese Stamps and Philatelic Items] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213112051/http://www.cpi.com.cn/cpi-e/stamp/1996/1996-2.asp |date=2006-12-13 }}</ref> In 2009, Harbin held the [[2009 Winter Universiade|XXIV Winter Universiade]].

A memorial hall honoring [[Koreans|Korean]] [[Korean nationalism|nationalist]] and [[Korean independence movement|independence activist]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/hero |title=What Defines a Hero? |publisher=Japan Society |access-date=2008-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004183049/http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/hero |archive-date=2007-10-04 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ahn Jung-geun]] was unveiled at Harbin Railway Station on 19 January 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Peng|first1=Fu|title=Korean patriot Ahn Jung Geun's memorial held in Harbin|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-01/20/c_133057726.htm|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=Xinhuanet English|date=20 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020171356/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-01/20/c_133057726.htm|archive-date=20 October 2014}}</ref> Ahn assassinated four-time [[Prime Minister of Japan]] and former [[Resident-General of Korea]] [[Itō Hirobumi]] at No.1 platform of Harbin Railway Station on 26 October 1909, as Korea on the verge of annexation by Japan after the signing of the [[Eulsa Treaty]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Description of Ito, Hirobumi (1841 - 1909), Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures|url=http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/12.html|publisher=National Diet Library of Japan|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129085624/http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/12.html|archive-date=29 January 2008}}</ref> [[President of South Korea|South Korean President]] [[Park Geun-Hye]] raised an idea of erecting a monument for Ahn while meeting with [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party|Chinese Communist Party general secretary]] [[Xi Jinping]] during a visit to China in June 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Memorial hall for Korean nationalist Ahn Jung Geun opens in China|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/140119/memorial-hall-korean-nationalist-ahn-jung-geun-opens-c|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=Kyodo News International|date=1 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020225125/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/140119/memorial-hall-korean-nationalist-ahn-jung-geun-opens-c|archive-date=20 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> After that China began to build a memorial hall honoring Ahn at Harbin Railway Station. As the hall was unveiled on 19 January 2014, the Japanese side soon lodged protest with China over the construction of Ahn's memorial hall.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan protest over Korean assassin Ahn Jung-geun memorial in China|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25808437|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=BBC News|date=20 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922185328/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25808437|archive-date=22 September 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Txu-oclc-6614368-nl52-7.jpg|thumb|Map including Harbin (HA-ERH-PIN {{lang|zh-hant|哈爾濱}}) ([[Army Map Service|AMS]], 1955)]]
[[File:Harbin, China, and vicinities, near natural colors, LandSat-5, 2010-09-22.jpg|thumb|Harbin and vicinities, LandSat-5 satellite image, 2010-09-22]]
Harbin, with a total land area of {{convert|53,068|km2|abbr=on}}, is located in southern Heilongjiang province and is the provincial capital. The prefecture is also located at the southeastern edge of the [[Songnen Plain]], a major part of China's [[Northeast China Plain|Northeastern Plain]].<ref name=Li>{{cite web|last1=Xiu Jun|first1=Li|title=The Alkili-saline Land and Agricultural Sustainable Development of the Western Songnen Plain in China (Alkali is misspelled in the original title)|url=http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-DLKX200001008.htm|website=En.cnki.com|publisher=Scientia Geographica Sinica|access-date=28 September 2013|year=2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128234527/http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-DLKX200001008.htm|archive-date=28 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The city center also sits on the southern bank of the middle [[Songhua River]]. Harbin received its nickname ''The pearl on the swan's neck'', since the shape of Heilongjiang resembles a swan.<ref name="Profiles of China Provinces, Cities and Industrial Parks">{{cite web|title=Harbin ( Heilongjiang ) City Information |url=http://www.hktdc.com/info/mi/a/mpcn/en/1X074BKJ/1/Profiles-Of-China-Provinces-Cities-And-Industrial-Parks/Harbin-Heilongjiang-City-Information.htm}}</ref> Its administrative area is rather large with latitude spanning 44° 04′−46° 40′ N, and longitude 125° 42′−130° 10' E.<ref name="location">
{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Natural_Resources.htm
 |title        = Geographic Location
 |work         = Basic Facts
 |publisher    = Harbin Municipal Government
 |access-date   = 14 September 2011
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130130223214/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Natural_Resources.htm
 |archive-date = 30 January 2013
 }}</ref> Neighbouring prefecture-level cities are [[Yichun, Heilongjiang|Yichun]] to the north, [[Jiamusi]] and [[Qitaihe]] to the northeast, [[Mudanjiang]] to the southeast, [[Daqing]] to the west, and [[Suihua]] to the northwest. On its southwestern boundary is [[Jilin]] province. The main terrain of the city is generally flat and low lying, with an average elevation of around {{convert|150|m|sigfig=2}}. The territory that comprises the 10 county-level divisions in the eastern part of the municipality consists of mountains and uplands. The easternmost part of Harbin prefecture also has extensive [[wetlands]], mainly in [[Yilan County, Heilongjiang|Yilan County]], which is located at the southwestern edge of the [[Sanjiang Plain]].<ref>2003. Wang A., Zhang S., and Zhang B. A study on the change of spatial pattern of wetland in the Sanjiang Plain. Acta Ecologica Sinica 23(2):237–243.</ref>

===Climate===
Under the [[Köppen climate classification]], Harbin features a [[monsoon]]-influenced [[humid continental climate]] (''[[Humid continental climate#Hot summer subtype|Dwa]]''). Due to the [[Siberian high]] and its location above 45 degrees north latitude, the city is known for its cold weather and long winter.<ref name="Profiles of China Provinces, Cities and Industrial Parks"/> Its nickname ''Ice City'' is well-earned, as winters in the city are dry and freezing cold, with a 24-hour average in January of only {{convert|−17.3|°C|1}}, although the city sees little precipitation during the winter and is often sunny. Spring and autumn constitute brief transition periods with variable wind directions. Summers can be hot, with a July mean temperature of {{convert|23.7|°C|1}}. Summer is also when most of the year's rainfall occurs, and more than half of the annual precipitation, at {{convert|539|mm}}, occurs in July and August alone. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 45 percent in December to 60 percent in September, the city receives 2,340 hours of bright sunshine annually; on average precipitation falls 99 days out of the year. The annual mean temperature is {{convert|5.2|°C|1}}, and extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|−42.6|°C|0}} or for the official weather station there, {{convert|-41.1|°C|0}} in January 1931<ref>{{Cite web |title=Extreme Temperatures Around the World |url=https://www.mherrera.org/temp.htm |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.mherrera.org}}</ref> to {{convert|39.2|°C|0}} on which was hit most recently on 4 June 2001,<ref>{{Cite web |title=东北晴热 哈尔滨35.3℃现今年首个高温-资讯-中国天气网 |url=https://news.weather.com.cn/565590.shtml |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=news.weather.com.cn}}</ref> though an unofficial record high temperature of {{convert|41.0|°C|1}} was recorded in July 1907.<ref name="Climatological Summary">{{cite web |url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Climatological_Summary.htm |title=Climatological Summary |publisher=Harbin Municipal Government |access-date=2011-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130223054/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Climatological_Summary.htm |archive-date=2013-01-30 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=哈尔滨市道里区人民政府地理地貌气候 |url=http://www.hrbdl.gov.cn/hebdlq/col1/202302/c01_862602.shtml |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.hrbdl.gov.cn }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

To mitigate impacts of [[climate change]], urban planning in Harbin has made use of [[sponge city]] concepts, including the Qunli stormwater park which collects, filters, and stores rainwater while conserving natural habitat.<ref name=":Curtis&Klaus">{{Cite book |last1=Curtis |first1=Simon |title=The Belt and Road City: Geopolitics, Urbanization, and China's Search for a New International Order |last2=Klaus |first2=Ian |publisher=[[Yale University Press]] |isbn=9780300266900 |location=New Haven and London |publication-date=2024 |pages=173 |doi=10.2307/jj.11589102 |jstor=jj.11589102}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Harbin, elevation {{convert|118|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
| collapsed = 
| Jan high C = -11.8
| Feb high C = −5.9
| Mar high C = 3.2
| Apr high C = 14.0
| May high C = 21.6
| Jun high C = 26.6
| Jul high C = 28.2
| Aug high C = 26.7
| Sep high C = 21.6
| Oct high C = 12.6
| Nov high C = 0.1
| Dec high C = −9.8
| Jan low C = −22.4
| Feb low C = −17.8
| Mar low C = −8.2
| Apr low C = 1.9
| May low C = 9.6
| Jun low C = 16.0
| Jul low C = 19.3
| Aug low C = 17.4
| Sep low C = 10.2
| Oct low C = 1.6
| Nov low C = −9.0
| Dec low C = -19.1
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->| Jan mean C = −17.3
| Feb mean C = −11.9
| Mar mean C = −2.4
| Apr mean C = 8.0
| May mean C = 15.7
| Jun mean C = 21.3
| Jul mean C = 23.7
| Aug mean C = 21.9
| Sep mean C = 15.7
| Oct mean C = 6.8
| Nov mean C = −4.6
| Dec mean C = −14.6
| Jan record high C = 4.2
| Feb record high C = 11.0
| Mar record high C = 22.6
| Apr record high C = 32.5
| May record high C = 36.2
| Jun record high C = 39.2
| Jul record high C = 39.2
| Aug record high C = 35.8
| Sep record high C = 31.4
| Oct record high C = 28.6
| Nov record high C = 18.7
| Dec record high C = 8.5
| Jan record low C = −42.6
| Feb record low C = −37.3
| Mar record low C = −29.0
| Apr record low C = −12.8
| May record low C = −3.8
| Jun record low C = 4.6
| Jul record low C = 9.5
| Aug record low C = 5.5
| Sep record low C = −4.8
| Oct record low C = −16.2
| Nov record low C = −26.5
| Dec record low C = −35.7
| year record low C = −42.6
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 3.8
| Feb precipitation mm = 4.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 11.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 19.3
| May precipitation mm = 51.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 100.4
| Jul precipitation mm = 137.0
| Aug precipitation mm = 112.7
| Sep precipitation mm = 52.3
| Oct precipitation mm = 24.5
| Nov precipitation mm = 14.4
| Dec precipitation mm = 7.6
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 64
| Mar humidity = 55
| Apr humidity = 48
| May humidity = 53
| Jun humidity = 64
| Jul humidity = 76
| Aug humidity = 78
| Sep humidity = 69
| Oct humidity = 61
| Nov humidity = 64
| Dec humidity = 70
| unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 4.8
| Feb precipitation days = 3.6
| Mar precipitation days = 5.4
| Apr precipitation days = 6.6
| May precipitation days = 10.5
| Jun precipitation days = 13.8
| Jul precipitation days = 14.0
| Aug precipitation days = 11.9
| Sep precipitation days = 9.1
| Oct precipitation days = 6.6
| Nov precipitation days = 5.8
| Dec precipitation days = 6.9
| Jan sun = 129.7
| Jan percentsun = 46
| Feb sun = 171.7
| Feb percentsun = 58
| Mar sun = 215.3
| Mar percentsun = 58
| Apr sun = 215.7
| Apr percentsun = 53
| May sun = 237.0
| May percentsun = 51
| Jun sun = 240.2
| Jun percentsun = 51
| Jul sun = 222.6
| Jul percentsun = 47
| Aug sun = 220.4
| Aug percentsun = 51
| Sep sun = 224.1
| Sep percentsun = 60
| Oct sun = 191.9
| Oct percentsun = 58
| Nov sun = 148.9
| Nov percentsun = 53
| Dec sun = 122.1
| Dec percentsun = 45
| Jan snow days = 8.2
| Feb snow days = 6.6
| Mar snow days = 7.0
| Apr snow days = 2.5
| May snow days = 0.1
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 2.2
| Nov snow days = 8.3
| Dec snow days = 10.1
| year snow days = 
| Jan uv = 1
| Feb uv = 2
| Mar uv = 3
| Apr uv = 5
| May uv = 7
| Jun uv = 8
| Jul uv = 8
| Aug uv = 7
| Sep uv = 5
| Oct uv = 3
| Nov uv = 1
| Dec uv = 1
| source 1 = China Meteorological Administration,<ref name=CMA>
{{cite web |url=http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |script-title=zh:中国地面国际交换站气候标准值月值数据集（1971－2000年） |access-date=2009-03-17 |publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |language=zh-cn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016192548/http://old-cdc.cma.gov.cn/shuju/search1.jsp?dsid=SURF_CLI_CHN_MUL_MMON_19712000_CES&tpcat=SURF&type=table&pageid=3 |archive-date=2013-10-16
}}</ref><ref name="cma graphical">{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 - WeatherBk Data |publisher=[[China Meteorological Administration]] |access-date=2018-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905194950/http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |archive-date=5 September 2018 |title=Index }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps
|script-title = zh:CMA台站气候标准值(1991-2020)
|publisher =  [[China Meteorological Administration]]
 | language = zh | access-date = 2023-04-11}}</ref> Weather China<ref name="Weather China">
{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.com.cn/cityintro/101050101.shtml? |script-title=zh:哈尔滨城市介绍以及气候背景分析 |website=Weather China |publisher=中国气象局公共气象服务中心 |access-date=27 July 2013 |language=zh-cn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630045255/http://www.weather.com.cn/cityintro/101050101.shtml |archive-date=30 June 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>extremes<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.roostweather.com/worldclimate/graphs.php?code=CHM00050953
|title= Harbin Climate: 1991–2020
|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather
|access-date= 18 July 2025
}}</ref>
| source 2 = Weather Atlas<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/china/harbin-climate|title=Harbin, China - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|work=Weather Atlas|language=en|access-date=2019-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709184228/https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/china/harbin-climate|archive-date=2019-07-09|url-status=live}}</ref>
| source = 
}}
{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = [[Harbin Taiping International Airport]] (2015–2024 normals)
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|Jan high C = 	-11.8
|Feb high C = 	-6.0
|Mar high C = 	4.9
|Apr high C = 	14.6
|May high C = 	21.5
|Jun high C = 	25.7
|Jul high C = 	29.0
|Aug high C = 	26.7
|Sep high C = 	22.0
|Oct high C = 	13.2
|Nov high C = 	-0.2
|Dec high C = 	-10.0
|Jan mean C = 	-17.7
|Feb mean C = 	-12.1
|Mar mean C = 	-0.8
|Apr mean C = 	8.5
|May mean C = 	15.7
|Jun mean C = 	20.6
|Jul mean C = 	24.3
|Aug mean C = 	22.0
|Sep mean C = 	16.1
|Oct mean C = 	6.8
|Nov mean C = 	-5.2
|Dec mean C = 	-14.9
|Jan low C = 	-22.3
|Feb low C = 	-17.5
|Mar low C = 	-6.5
|Apr low C = 	2.0
|May low C = 	9.7
|Jun low C = 	15.4
|Jul low C = 	19.8
|Aug low C = 	17.5
|Sep low C = 	10.9
|Oct low C = 	1.7
|Nov low C = 	-8.7
|Dec low C = 	-18.7
|Jan humidity = 	73
|Feb humidity = 	69
|Mar humidity = 	60
|Apr humidity = 	48
|May humidity = 	54
|Jun humidity = 	70
|Jul humidity = 	78
|Aug humidity = 	81
|Sep humidity = 	75
|Oct humidity = 	62
|Nov humidity = 	71
|Dec humidity = 	73
|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web |title=Weather archive in Harbin / Taiping (airport) |url=https://rp5.ru/Weather_archive_in_Harbin,_Taiping_(airport),_METAR |publisher=rp5.ru |access-date=17 April 2025}}</ref>
}}

==Administrative divisions==
The sub-provincial city of Harbin has direct jurisdiction over 9 [[District of China|districts]], 2 [[county-level city|county-level cities]] and 7 [[County (People's Republic of China)|counties]].

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; margin:auto; text-align:center"
! colspan=12 | Map
|-
| colspan=12 | <div class="center" style="position: relative">
{{Image label begin|image=Administrative Division Harbin.png|width=630|link=}}
{{Image label|x=280|y=680|scale=630/2100|text=[[Daoli District|'''Daoli''']]}}
{{Image label|x=390|y=630|scale=630/2100|text=[[Nangang District, Harbin|{{small|'''Nangang'''}}]]}}
{{Image label|x=500|y=550|scale=630/2100|text=[[Daowai District|'''Daowai''']]}}
{{Image label|x=400|y=730|scale=630/2100|text=[[Pingfang District|{{small|'''Pingfang'''}}]]}}
{{Image label|x=300|y=510|scale=630/2100|text=[[Songbei District|'''Songbei''']]}}
{{Image label|x=450|y=680|scale=630/2100|text=[[Xiangfang District|{{small|'''Xiangfang'''}}]]}}
{{Image label|x=480|y=360|scale=630/2100|text=[[Hulan District|'''Hulan''']]}}
{{Image label|x=620|y=780|scale=630/2100|text=[[Acheng District|'''Acheng''']]}}
{{Image label|x=120|y=830|scale=630/2100|text=[[Shuangcheng District|'''Shuangcheng''']]}}
{{Image label|x=1780|y=230|scale=630/2100|text=[[Yilan County, Heilongjiang|'''Yilan<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=1370|y=570|scale=630/2100|text=[[Fangzheng County|'''Fangzheng<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=860|y=590|scale=630/2100|text=[[Bin County, Heilongjiang|'''Bin<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=720|y=230|scale=630/2100|text=[[Bayan County|'''Bayan<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=990|y=270|scale=630/2100|text=[[Mulan County|'''Mulan<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=1380|y=270|scale=630/2100|text=[[Tonghe County|'''Tonghe<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=1220|y=760|scale=630/2100|text=[[Yanshou County|'''Yanshou<br />County''']]}}
{{Image label|x=1130|y=1060|scale=630/2100|text=[[Shangzhi|'''Shangzhi<br />{{small|(city)}}''']]}}
{{Image label|x=790|y=1220|scale=630/2100|text=[[Wuchang, Heilongjiang|'''Wuchang<br />{{small|(city)}}''']]}}

{{image label end}}
</div>
|-
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Division code<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |script-title=zh:中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 |publisher=[[Ministry of Civil Affairs]] |access-date=2018-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113603/http://files2.mca.gov.cn/cws/201502/20150225163817214.html |archive-date=2 April 2015 }}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Division
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Area in km<sup>2</sup><ref>{{cite book |language=zh-hans |author=哈尔滨年鉴社 |script-title=zh:《哈尔滨年鉴2011》|year=2011 |publisher=哈尔滨年鉴社 }}</ref><br />
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Population(2010)
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Seat
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Postal code
!! scope="col" colspan=7 | Subdivisions<ref>{{cite book |language=zh-hans |author=[[Ministry of Civil Affairs]] |script-title=zh:《中国民政统计年鉴2014》|year=2014 |publisher=[[:zh:中国统计出版社|China Statistics Print]] |isbn=978-7-5037-7130-9}}</ref>
|-
!! scope="col" width="45" | Subdistricts
!! scope="col" width="45" | Towns
!! scope="col" width="45" | Townships
!! scope="col" width="45" | Ethnic townships
!! scope="col" width="45" | Residential communities
!! scope="col" width="45" | Villages
|- style="font-weight:bold"
! 230100 !! Harbin 
| 53,523.5 || 10,635,971 || [[Songbei District|Songbei]] || 150000 || 131 || 107 || 62 || 12 || 850 || 1879
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;" colspan="12" |'''City proper'''
|-
! 230102 !! [[Daoli District|Daoli]]
| 479.2 || 923,762 || [[Fushun Subdistrict]]|| 150000 || 20 || 3 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 116 || 37
|-
! 230103 !! [[Nangang District, Harbin|Nangang]]
| 182.9 || 1,343,857 || [[Dacheng Subdistrict, Harbin|Dacheng Subdistrict]]|| 150000 || 18 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 169 || 20
|-
! 230104 !! [[Daowai District|Daowai]]
| 618.6 || 906,421 || [[Daxing Subdistrict, Harbin|Daxing Subdistrict]] || 150000 || 22 || 4 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 114 || 38
|-
! 230108 !! [[Pingfang District|Pingfang]]
| 98.0 || 190,253 || [[Youxie Subdistrict]]|| 150000 || 6 || 2 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 25 || 11
|-
! 230109 !! [[Songbei District|Songbei]]
| 736.3 || 236,848 || [[Songbei Subdistrict]]|| 150000 || 7 || 2 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 33 || 48
|-
! 230110 !! [[Xiangfang District|Xiangfang]]
| 339.5 || 916,408 || [[Xiangfang Avenue Subdistrict]]|| 150000 || 20 || 4 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 117 || 46
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;" colspan="12" |'''Suburbs'''
|-
! 230111 !! [[Hulan District|Hulan]]
| 2,185.9 || 764,534 || [[Limin Subdistrict]]|| 150500 || 16 || 7 || 3 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 48 || 170
|-
! 230112 !! [[Acheng District|Acheng]]
| 2,452.1 || 596,856 || [[Jincheng Subdistrict]]|| 150300 || 12 || 7 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 76 || 108
|-
! 230113 !! [[Shuangcheng District|Shuangcheng]]
| 3,112.0 || 825,634 || [[Xinxing Subdistrict, Harbin|Xinxing Subdistrict]]|| 150100 || 10 || 6 || 11 || 5 || 18 || 246
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;" colspan="12" |'''Satellite cities'''
|-
! 230183 !! [[Shangzhi|Shangzhi Ct.]]
| 8,824.9 || 585,386 || [[Shangzhi Town]]|| 150600 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 10 || 7 || 2 || 21 || 163
|-
! 230184 !! [[Wuchang, Heilongjiang|Wuchang Ct.]]
| 7,502.0 || 881,224 || [[Wuchang Town, Heilongjiang|Wuchang Town]]|| 150200 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 12 || 12 || 3 || 21 || 261
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;" colspan="12" |'''Rural'''
|-
! 230123 !! [[Yilan County, Heilongjiang|Yilan Co.]]
| 4,616.0 || 388,319 || [[Yilan Town]]|| 154800 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 6 || 3 || 1 || 12 || 132
|-
! 230124 !! [[Fangzheng County|Fangzheng Co.]]
| 2,968.6 || 203,853 || [[Fangzheng Town]]|| 150800 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 4 || 4 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 15 || 67
|-
! 230125 !! [[Bin County, Heilongjiang|Bin Co.]]
| 3,844.7 || 551,271 || [[Binzhou Town]]|| 150400 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 12 || 5 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 5 || 143
|-
! 230126 !! [[Bayan County|Bayan Co.]]
| 3,137.7 || 590,555 || [[Bayan Town]]|| 151800 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 10 || 8 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 35 || 116
|-
! 230127 !! [[Mulan County|Mulan Co.]]
| 3,600.0 || 277,685 || [[Mulan Town]]|| 151900 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 6 || 2 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 7 || 86
|-
! 230128 !! [[Tonghe County|Tonghe Co.]]
| 5,675.5 || 210,650 || [[Tonghe Town, Heilongjiang|Tonghe Town]]|| 150900 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 6 || 2 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 6 || 81
|-
! 230129 !! [[Yanshou County|Yanshou Co.]]
| 3,149.6 || 242,455 || [[Yanshou Town, Heilongjiang|Yanshou Town]]|| 150700 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 5 || 4 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;|| 12 || 106
|}

==Economy==

Harbin has the largest economy in Heilongjiang province.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> In 2013, Harbin's GDP totaled RMB501.08&nbsp;billion, an increase of 8.9 percent over the previous year.<ref name="2013stat">{{cite web
 |url          = http://hb.my399.com/page/1/2014-03-19/09/89161395151557020.pdf
 |script-title=zh:2013年哈尔滨市国民经济和社会发展统计公报
 |publisher    = Harbin Municipal Statistics Bureau
 |date         = 2014-03-18
 |access-date   = 2013-04-16
 |language     = zh-cn
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140416180056/http://hb.my399.com/page/1/2014-03-19/09/89161395151557020.pdf
 |archive-date = 2014-04-16
 }}</ref> The proportion of the three industries to the aggregate of GDP was 11.1:36.1:52.8 in 2012. The total value for imports and exports by the end of 2012 was US$5,330&nbsp;million.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> In 2012, the working population reached 3.147&nbsp;million. In 2015, Harbin had a GDP of [[RMB]] 575.12&nbsp;billion.<ref name="2015年黑龙江各市GDP和人均GDP排名">{{cite web |url=http://www.phbang.cn/finance/data/152416.html |script-title=zh:2015年黑龙江各市GDP和人均GDP排名 |access-date=2016-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109085627/http://www.phbang.cn/finance/data/152416.html |archive-date=2016-11-09 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[chernozem]] soil in Harbin is one of the most nutrient rich in all of China, making it valuable for cultivating food and textile-related crops. As a result, Harbin is China's base for the production of commodity grain and an ideal location for setting up agricultural businesses.

Harbin also has industries such as light industry, textile, medicine, food, aircraft, automobile, metallurgy, electronics, building materials, and chemicals that help to form a fairly comprehensive industrial system. Several major corporations are based in the city. [[Harbin Electric|Harbin Electric Company Limited]], [[Harbin Aircraft Industry Group]] and Northeast Light Alloy Processing Factory are some of key enterprises. Power manufacturing is a main industry in Harbin; hydro and thermal power equipment manufactured here makes up one-third of the total installed capacity in China.<ref name="China-briefing.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.china-briefing.com/regional-intelligence/harbin.html |title=China Briefing Business Guide: Harbin |publisher=China-briefing.com |access-date=2011-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023061641/http://www.china-briefing.com/regional-intelligence/harbin.html |archive-date=2014-10-23 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to [[Platts]], in 2009-10 Harbin Electric was the second largest manufacturer of [[steam turbines]] by worldwide market share, tying Dongfang Electric and slightly behind Shanghai Electric.<ref name="socgen">{{cite web|url=http://documents.mx/documents/socgen-china-losing-it-shine.html|title=Capital Goods: China Losing Its Shine|publisher=Societe General|access-date=2015-11-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223055243/http://documents.mx/documents/socgen-china-losing-it-shine.html|archive-date=2015-12-23}}</ref> Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, which mainly focus on research, development, manufacture and sale of medical products, is China's second-biggest [[drug maker|pharmaceutical company]] by [[market value]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/business-in-china/100021342-1-harbin-pharmaceutical-issue-rmb-800.html|title=Trade Intelligence, Gain valuable business insights from our searchable database of thousands of articles and reports.|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310133712/http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/business-in-china/100021342-1-harbin-pharmaceutical-issue-rmb-800.html|archive-date=10 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair has been held annually since 1990.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2004-06-14/09082801850s.shtml|script-title=zh:1990年创办至今 回眸哈洽会 十四年这样走过|publisher=生活报(Life Newspaper)|date=2004-06-14|access-date=22 April 2014|language=zh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517161258/http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2004-06-14/09082801850s.shtml|archive-date=17 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> This investment and trade fair cumulatively attracting more than 1.9&nbsp;million exhibitors and visitors from more than 80 countries and regions to attend, resulting over US$100&nbsp;billion contract volume concluded according to the statistics of 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pt2.mofcom.gov.cn/article/bilateralvisits/201305/20130500124598.shtml |title=The 24th China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair will be held from June 15th to 19th in Harbin |publisher=Departamento Econômico e Comercial em Portugal |date=2013-05-13 |access-date=22 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029183238/http://pt2.mofcom.gov.cn/article/bilateralvisits/201305/20130500124598.shtml |archive-date=29 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Harbin is among major destinations of FDI in Northeast China,<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> with utilized FDI totaling US$980&nbsp;million in 2013.<ref name="2013stat"/> After the 18th regular meeting between Sino-Russian Prime Ministers between [[Li Keqiang]] and [[Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev]] in October 2013,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2014/03/21/055591091.shtml |script-title=zh:"哈洽会"今年正式更名为"中国-俄罗斯博览会" |publisher=黑龙江日报 |date=2014-03-21 |access-date=17 May 2014 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705235246/http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2014/03/21/055591091.shtml |archive-date=5 July 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> two sides come to make an agreement that the Harbin International Trade and Economic Fair will be renamed "China-Russia EXPO" and be co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Heilongjiang Provincial government, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Russia's Ministry of Trade and Industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hlj.sina.com.cn/news/finance/qyjj/2014-05-15/09193311.html |script-title=zh:哈洽会升级中俄博览会 6月30日—7月4日举行 |publisher=黑龙江新闻网-生活报 |date=2014-05-15 |access-date=17 May 2014 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517130600/http://hlj.sina.com.cn/news/finance/qyjj/2014-05-15/09193311.html |archive-date=2014-05-17 }}</ref>
[[File:Harbin Bank 01.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of Harbin Bank]]

In the financial sector, [[Longjiang Bank]] and [[Harbin Bank]] are some of the largest banks in Northeast China, with headquarters in Harbin. The latter ranks fourth by competitiveness among Chinese city commercial banks in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://harbin.dbw.cn/system/2011/10/11/053442238.shtml |script-title=zh:2011全国城市商行竞争力排名 哈尔滨银行居第四 |publisher=哈尔滨新闻网 |date=2011-10-11 |access-date=17 May 2014 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115213/http://harbin.dbw.cn/system/2011/10/11/053442238.shtml |archive-date=17 May 2014 }}</ref>

In commerce, there is [[Qiulin Group]], which owns Harbin's largest [[department store]].

===Economic development zones and ports===

* Harbin Economic & Technology Development Zone (National), mainly focus on telecommunications equipment, chemicals production and processing, automobile production/assembly, electronics, textiles, medical equipment and supplies.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-economic-technology-development-zone |title=Harbin Economic & Technology Development Zone &#124; China Industrial Space |publisher=Rightsite.asia |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904163320/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-economic-technology-development-zone |archive-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Harbin High and New Technological Development Zone, focus on optical-mechanical-electrical integration, biology, medicine, electronics and information technology.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/>
* Harbin Pingfang Automobile Industrial Zone (Provincial), mainly focus on automobile production/assembly, electronics assembly & manufacturing, heavy industry, instruments & industrial equipment production.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-pingfang-automobile-industrial-zone |title=Harbin Pingfang Automobile Industrial Zone &#124; China Industrial Space |publisher=Rightsite.asia |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904163359/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-pingfang-automobile-industrial-zone |archive-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Harbin Limin Economic Development Zone (Provincial), mainly focus on trading and distribution, food/beverage processing, medical equipment and supplies, shipping/warehousing/logistics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-limin-economic-development-zone |title=Harbin Limin Economic Development Zone &#124; China Industrial Space |publisher=Rightsite.asia |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904163334/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-limin-economic-development-zone |archive-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Harbin Port
;Harbin Songbei Economic Development Zone

Songbei Economic Development Zone is located in [[Songbei District]] of Harbin. The zone has a planned area of 5.53 square kilometers. Electronics assembly & manufacturing, food and beverage processing are the encouraged industries in the zone.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-songbei-economic-development-zone/ |title=Harbin Songbei Economic Development Zone &#124; China Industrial Space |publisher=Rightsite.asia |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215123719/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-songbei-economic-development-zone/ |archive-date=15 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many regional and provincial headquarters of large enterprises such as the [[China Datang Corporation]], [[China Netcom]] and [[China Telecom]] have joined in this district, preliminary constituting the economy concentration zone of the local headquarters. Regional Scientific research centers including Harbin Science and Technology Innovation Center and Harbin International Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center are also located in this development zone. Profit from these major research institutes, Harbin ranked ninth among 50 major Chinese cities in scientific and technological innovation ability in scientific and technological competitiveness ranking in 2006, as well as ranking sixth among Chinese cities in the amount of scientific and technological achievements.<ref name="ScientificTechnologyandEducation">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Scientific_Technology.htm
 |title        = Scientific Technology and Education
 |publisher    = Harbin Information Center
 |access-date   = 2014-04-23
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140408100054/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Scientific_Technology.htm
 |archive-date = 2014-04-08
 }}</ref>
;Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone
[[File:Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone.jpg|thumb|Office Buildings around [[Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center|Harbin ICE Center]] ]]
Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone (HETDZ)  is one of the 90 national economical development zones of China. It was set up in June 1991, and was approved by the State Council as a national development zone in April 1993. In December 2012, Harbin High Technology Development Zone was merged into HETDZ. In 2009, the hi-tech zone was separated from HETDZ again.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=zh:哈尔滨经济开发区 - 简介|url=http://www.kfq.gov.cn/zsyz/tzhj/hrbkfqjj/index.htm|access-date=7 May 2015| language=zh-hans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095843/http://www.kfq.gov.cn/zsyz/tzhj/hrbkfqjj/index.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> The area now has a total area of 18.5 square-kilometers in the centralized parks, subdivided into Nangang and Haping Road Centralized Parks. The 12.2 square-kilometers Yingbin Road Hi-tech Centralized Park, which was formerly part of HETDZ, is currently under the administration of Harbin High and New Technology Industry Development Zone since 2009.
* Nangang Centralized Park: designated for the incubation of high-tech projects and research and development base of enterprises as well as tertiary industries such as finance, insurance, services, catering, tourism, culture, recreation and entertainment, where the headquarters of large famous companies and their branches in Harbin are located.
* Yingbin Road Centralized Park: mainly focus on high-tech incubation projects, high-tech industrial development.
* Haping Road Centralized Park: designated for a comprehensive industrial basis for the investment projects of automobile and automobile parts manufacturing, medicines, foodstuffs, electronics, textile; Automobile production and assembly raw material processing are the encouraged industries in this region.
;Harbin High and New Technology Industry Development Zone
Harbin High and New Technology Industry Development Zone is one of the 56 national High and New Technology Industry Development Zones of China.<ref name=Parkintroduction>{{cite web|title=Park introduction of Harbin High and New Technology Industry Development Zone|url=http://en.kaifaqu.com.cn/sub11.jsp?urltype=tree.TreeTempUrl&wbtreeid=1565|access-date=7 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518084107/http://en.kaifaqu.com.cn/sub11.jsp?urltype=tree.TreeTempUrl&wbtreeid=1565|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The zone was first set up as a provincial level development zone in 1988, and was approved by the State Council as a national development zone in 1991 respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone/ |title=Harbin Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone &#124; China Industrial Space |publisher=Rightsite.asia |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801013602/http://rightsite.asia/en/industrial-zone/harbin-hi-tech-industrial-development-zone |archive-date=1 August 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> It has 23.9 square-kilometers of built-area totally, and subdivided into two parts: Science and Technology Innovation Town and High-tech Industrial Development Zone.<ref name=Parkintroduction/>

==Demographics==

===Population===
{{Historical populations
|type=China
|1934|500526
|1944|711818
|1953|1162962
|1964|1962000
|1982|2542832
|1990|4219516
|2000|9413359
|2010|10635971
|2020|10009854
|footnote = Population size may be affected by changes on administrative divisions.
}}

The 2020 census revealed total population in Harbin was 10,009,854, representing a 5.62 percent decrease over the previous decade.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=黑龙江省人口普查年鉴-2020 |trans-title=Heilongjiang Province Census Yearbook-2020 |url=https://tjj.hlj.gov.cn/tjjnianjian/2020rkpc/indexch.htm |access-date=17 May 2024 |website=Heilongjiang Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> The built-up area, made up of all urban districts but Acheng and Shuangcheng not urbanized yet, had a population of 5,282,083 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citypopulation.de/php/china-heilongjiang-admin.php|title=China: Administrative Division of Hēilóngjiāng / 黑龙江省 (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708202109/https://www.citypopulation.de/php/china-heilongjiang-admin.php|archive-date=8 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 70.61 percent lived in urban areas, while 29.39 lived in rural areas.<ref name=":4" />

The [[demographic profile]] for the Harbin metropolitan area in general is relatively old: 10.46 percent are under the age of 14, while 14.65 percent are over 65. Harbin has a higher percentage of males (50.02 percent) than females (49.98 percent).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2011/05/13/053162730.shtml | script-title=zh:哈尔滨人口突破千万 外来人口增速超本地 | publisher=Dongbeiwang | date=2011-05-13 | access-date=2013-02-09 | language=zh | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524184451/http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2011/05/13/053162730.shtml | archive-date=2013-05-24 | url-status=live }}</ref> Harbin currently has a lower [[birth rate]] than other parts of China, with 6.95 births per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to the Chinese average of 12.13 births.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/info/news/index/detail/211381.htm|publisher=www.harbin.gov.cn|script-title=zh:哈市最新常住人口1063.59万 居副省级城市第三位|date=11 November 2011|language=zh|access-date=8 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513001651/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/info/news/index/detail/211381.htm|archive-date=13 May 2013}}</ref>

===Ethnic groups===
Most of Harbin's residents belong to the [[Han Chinese]] majority (93% in 2000). Ethnic minorities include the [[Manchu people|Manchu]], [[Hui people|Hui]], and [[Mongol]]. There is a minor community of [[Harbin Russians|Russians]]. The ethnic composition according to the 2020 census:<ref name=":4" />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center"
|+Ethnic groups in Harbin, 2020 census
!Ethnicity
![[Han Chinese|Han]]
![[Manchu people|Manchu]]
![[Koreans in China|Korean]]
![[Hui people|Hui]]
![[Mongols in China|Mongol]]
![[Sibe people|Sibe]]
![[Daur people|Duar]]
![[Uyghurs|Uyghur]]
![[Zhuang people|Zhuang]]
![[Tujia people|Tujia]]
!Other
|-
!Population
|9,550,738
|296,221
|91,706
|29,435
|18,707
|3,418
|2,763
|2,317
|2,124
|1,939
|10,486
|-
!'''%'''
|95.41
|2.96
|0.92
|0.29
|0.19
|0.03
|0.03
|0.02
|0.02
|0.02
|0.10
|-
!'''%''' of ethnic minorities
|–
|64.52
|19.97
|6.41
|4.07
|0.74
|0.60
|0.50
|0.46
|0.42
|2.28
|}

===Religion===
The Catholic minority is pastorally served by the [[Apostolic Administration of Harbin]], a missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction. It also has the [[Eastern Catholic]] former cathedral of the [[Russian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Harbin]]. The badly damaged Church of the Iver Icon of the Mother of God was previously used by Russian soldiers of the Outer Amur Military Region, then garrisoned in Harbin.<ref name="Tone">{{cite magazine |translator-first=Brian |translator-last=Bies |editor1-first=Wu |editor1-last=Haiyun |editor2-first=Matthew |editor2-last=Walsh |url=http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000760/orthodox-churches%2C-unorthodox-histories-in-chinas-far-northeast |magazine=Sixth Tone |title=Orthodox Churches, Unorthodox Histories in China's Far Northeast |first=Ma |last=Te |date=28 August 2017 |access-date=28 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120065720/http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000760/orthodox-churches%2C-unorthodox-histories-in-chinas-far-northeast?mc_cid=acc5f04be5&mc_eid=1f9d28130a |archive-date=20 January 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> A small percentage (0.4% in 2000) of the city's population consists of Muslims.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ethnic Minority Groups, Peoples & Religions in Harbin, China Ice Festival|url=http://www.harbinice.com/fact-v4-ethnic-groups-religions-in-harbin.html|access-date=2020-12-04|website=www.harbinice.com|archive-date=14 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114235910/http://www.harbinice.com/fact-v4-ethnic-groups-religions-in-harbin.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Daowai Mosque]] is located in Harbin and is the largest mosque in Heilongjiang province. Harbin had a small Jewish community centered on Zhongyang Main Street, which was home to many European Jewish refugees.<ref name="Tone"/>

==Culture==
The Harbin local culture is based on [[Han Chinese|Han culture]], combined with Manchu culture and Russian culture.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> This combination of cultures influences the local architecture style, food, music, and customs. The city of Harbin was appointed a UNESCO City of Music on 22 June 2010 as part of the [[Creative Cities Network]].<ref name="english.peopledaily.com.cn">{{cite news|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7041463.html|title=UN recognizes China's northeastern Harbin as "Music City"|author1=王寒露|date=26 June 2010|access-date=15 October 2014|agency=People's Daily Online|issue=Xinhua|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191324/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7041463.html|archive-date=29 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cuisine===

[[File:Guobaorou a0.jpg|thumb|Traditional Guo Bao Rou]]
Harbin is renowned for its culinary tradition. The cuisine of Harbin consists of European dishes and Northern Chinese dishes mainly typified by heavy sauce and [[Deep frying|deep-frying.]]<ref name="cnntravel">
{{cite news
  |url=http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/eat/around-china-31-dishes-808639
  |title=31 dishes: A guide to China's regional specialties
  |publisher=CNN Travel
  |access-date=3 March 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225065916/http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/eat/around-china-31-dishes-808639
  |archive-date=25 February 2014
  |url-status=live
  }}
</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2023}}

One of the most famous dishes in [[Northeastern Chinese cuisine]] is [[Guo Bao Rou]], a form of sweet and sour pork. It is a classic dish from Harbin that originated in the early 20th century in Daotai Fu ({{lang-zh|道台府|hp=Dàotái Fǔ|links=no}}).<ref name="Guobaorou">{{cite web|script-title=zh:"锅包肉"来自道台府|url=http://www.hljnews.cn/fou_baoye/2005-10/25/content_884048.htm|script-work=zh:生活报|via=Heilongjiang News |access-date=1 March 2014|date=25 October 2005|language=zh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306231357/http://www.hljnews.cn/fou_baoye/2005-10/25/content_884048.htm|archive-date=6 March 2014}}</ref> It consists of a bite-sized pieces of pork in a [[potato starch]] [[batter (cooking)|batter]], deep-fried until crispy. They are then lightly coated in a variation of a sweet and sour sauce, made from freshly prepared [[syrup]], rice vinegar, sugar, flavoured with ginger, cilantro, sliced carrot and garlic. The Harbin Guobaorou is distinct from that of other areas of China, such as Liaoning, where the sauce may be made using either tomato ketchup or orange juice. Rather the Harbin style is dominated by the honey and ginger flavours and has a clear or honey yellow colour. Originally the taste was fresh and salty. In order to fete foreign guests, Zheng Xingwen, the chef of Daotai Fu, altered the dish into a sweet and sour taste. Usually, people prefer to go to several small or middle size restaurants to enjoy this dish, because it is difficult to handle the frying process at home.<ref name="Guobaorou"/>

Demoli Stewed Live Fish is one among other notable dishes in Harbin, which is originated in a village named Demoli on the expressway from Harbin to Jiamusi. The village is now Demoli Service Area on Harbin-Tongjiang Expressway.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2010/09/02/052704618.shtml |script-title=zh:哈同公路得莫利服务区打造"龙江第一服务区" |website=dbw.cn Heilongjiang |date=2010-09-02 |language=zh-cn |access-date=3 March 2014 |archive-date=6 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006135225/http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2010/09/02/052704618.shtml }}</ref> Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms, Braised Pork with Vermicelli, and quick-boil pork with Chinese sauerkraut are also typical authentic local dishes.

Since Russia had a strong influence on Harbin's history, the local cuisine of Harbin also contains Russian-style dishes and flavor.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> There are several authentic Russian-style restaurants in Harbin, especially alongside the Zhongyang Street.<ref name="HarbinCuisine">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.visitourchina.com/guide/harbin_cuisine.htm
  |title=Harbin Cuisine
  |publisher=visitourchina
  |access-date=3 March 2014
  |archive-date=28 March 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328143039/http://visitourchina.com/guide/harbin_cuisine.htm
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>
[[File:Smoked Chinese sausage.jpg|thumb|Harbin-style smoked sausage]]
A popular regional specialty is [[Chinese sausage#Northern China|Harbin-style smoked savory red sausage]].<ref name="cnntravel"/> This product, which is similar to mild Lithuanian and German sausages, tend to be much more of European flavours than other Chinese sausages. In 1900, Russian merchant Ivan Yakovlevich Churin founded a branch in Harbin, which was named [[Qiulin Group|Churin Foreign trading company]] ({{lang-zh|p=Qiulin Yanghang}}; {{langx|ru|Цюлинь Янхан|links=no}}) selling imported clothes, leather boots, canned foods, vodka, etc., and began to expand sales network in other cities in Manchuria.<ref name=churinfc>{{lang|ru|[http://russian.china.org.cn/russian/56082.htm Торговая фирма «И. Я. Чурин и К<sup>о</sup>» и табачная фабрика А. Лопато] // Китайский информационный Интернет-центр 10/01/2003}}</ref><ref>{{lang|ru|Спутник по Сибири, Маньчжурии, Амуру и Уссурийскому краю. 1911 год (6 год издания). Составил И. С. Кларк. VII выпуск. — Иркутск. — Паровая типо-литография П. Макушина и В. Посохина. — С. 106.}}</ref> The influx of Europeans through the Trans-Siberian Railway and Chinese Eastern Railway, increased demand of European flavor food. In 1909, Churin's Sausage Factory was founded, and first produced European flavor sausage with the manufacturing process of Lithuanian staff. Since then, European style sausage has become a specialty of the city.<ref name="cnntravel"/>
[[File:Dalieba bread in Dalian (2018).jpg|thumb|Dalieba bread sold at [[Dashang Group]]'s gourmet corner in [[Dalian]] (2018)]]
A Russian style large round bread [[Dalieba|大列巴 dà liě ba]], derived from the Russian word ''{{lang|ru-Latn|khleb}}'' for "bread" is also produced in Harbin's bakeries. Dalieba is a miche like sourdough bread. First introduced to the locals by a Russian baker, it has been sold in bakeries in Harbin for over a hundred years.<ref name="Russiankhleb">
{{cite web
  |url=http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19061/recreating-%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%97%E5%B7%B4dalieba-chinese-sourdough-bread-100-years-history-and-russian-heritage
  |title=Recreating {{lang|zh-hans|大列巴|nocat=true}} (dà liě ba) - the Chinese sourdough bread with 100+ years of history and a Russian heritage
  |publisher=The Fresh Loaf
  |access-date=3 March 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811234539/http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19061/recreating-%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%97%E5%B7%B4dalieba-chinese-sourdough-bread-100-years-history-and-russian-heritage
  |archive-date=11 August 2013
  |url-status=live
  }}
</ref> Dalieba's sour and chewy taste is different from other traditional soft and fluffy Asian style breads in other parts of China.

[[Kvass]], a Russia-originated [[fermented beverage]] made from [[black bread|black]] or regular [[rye bread]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enjoyyourcooking.com/beverage-recipes/russian-rye-bread-drink-kvass.html|title=Kvass (Russian Fermented Rye Bread Drink)|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821154049/http://www.enjoyyourcooking.com/beverage-recipes/russian-rye-bread-drink-kvass.html|archive-date=21 August 2016}}</ref> is also popular in Harbin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://meal.dbw.cn/system/2011/06/15/053227379.shtml |script-title=zh:哈尔滨特色饮料"格瓦斯"竞相亮相哈洽会 |website=Dbw.cn |date=2011-06-15 |language=zh-hans |access-date=2014-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425131738/http://meal.dbw.cn/system/2011/06/15/053227379.shtml |archive-date=2013-04-25 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Madier ("{{lang|zh-hans|马迭尔}}", derived from "Modern") ice-cream provided in the Zhongyang Street is also well known in northern China. This ice cream is made from a specific traditional recipe and it tastes a little salty but more sweet and milky. Besides its headquarters in Harbin, it also has branches in other major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, etc.<ref name="madier">{{cite web|script-title=zh:马迭尔进京布局意在全国市场|url=http://www.bbtnews.com.cn/news/2014-07/31000000313537.shtml|work=贺陈慧|publisher=高端旅游周刊|access-date=21 November 2014|date=31 July 2014|language=zh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218184016/http://www.bbtnews.com.cn/news/2014-07/31000000313537.shtml|archive-date=18 December 2014}}</ref>

===Tourism===

Harbin is a popular domestic tourist destination, particularly in the winter, when there are large-scale [[ice sculpture]] displays. Harbin also has a large indoor ski park, located inside the Wanda Harbin Mall (counting six ski slants up to {{convert|500|m|ft}} in length).<ref name="cnn.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/china-top-megacities/index.html|title=Megacities and more: A guide to China's most impressive urban centers|website=[[CNN]]|date=6 March 2019 }}</ref> During the 2023–2024 winter season, there were 87 million visitors, mostly coming from other parts of China.<ref name="EconomistFeb2025">{{Cite news |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Hail China's new "ice-and-snow economy" |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=https://www.economist.com/china/2025/02/13/hail-chinas-new-ice-and-snow-economy |access-date=2025-02-27 |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

Harbin is also known for its European-style structures and designs, such as the popular Saint Sophia Cathedral, Central Street, and the Baroque compositional complex in Lao Daowai (Old Town).

===Winter culture===
[[File:Tower at Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2012.jpg|thumb|Tower at Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, 2013]]
Located in northern Northeast China, Harbin is the northernmost among major cities in China. Under the direct influence of the [[Siberian Anticyclone]], the average daily temperature is {{convert|−19.7|C|F}} in winter. Annual low temperatures below {{convert|−25.0|C|F}} are not uncommon. Nicknamed "Ice City" due to its freezingly cold winter, Harbin is decorated by various styles of Ice and snow Sculptures from December to March every year.<ref name="BBCsculpturemelting"/>

[[File:2011 Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture EXPO 01.JPG|thumb|Snow Sculpture in Sun Island, 2011]]
The annual [[Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival]] has been held since 1985. Although the official start date is 5 January each year, in practice, many of the sculptures can be seen before. While there are ice sculptures throughout the city, there are two main exhibition areas: enormous snow sculptures at Sun Island (Taiyang Dao, a [[Tourist Attraction Rating Categories of China|AAAAA-rated]] recreational area on the opposite side of the Songhua River from the city) and the separate "Ice and Snow World" that operates each night with lights switched on, illuminating the sculptures from both inside and outside. Ice and Snow World features illuminated full-size buildings made from blocks of 2–3 feet thick crystal clear ice directly taken from the Songhua River, which passes through the city. The sculptures inside the exhibition ground takes 15,000 workers to work for 16 days. In early December, ice artisans cut 120,000 cubic metres (4.2&nbsp;million cubic feet) of ice blocks from Songhua river's frozen surface as raw materials for the ice sculptures' show.<ref name="Iceismoney"/> Massive ice buildings, large-scale snow sculptures, ice slides, festival food and drinks can also be found in several parks and major avenues in the city. Winter activities in the festival include [[Yabuli Ski Resort|Yabuli]] Alpine [[Skiing]], snow mobile driving, winter-swimming in [[Songhua River]], and the traditional ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden, which was first held in 1963.<ref name="Ice Lantern Exhibition">
{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023165258827.htm
 |title       = Ice Lantern Exhibition
 |publisher   = China National Tourist Office
 |access-date  = 23 October 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102145937/http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023165258827.htm
 |archive-date = 2 November 2007
}}</ref> Snow carving and ice and snow recreations are famous nationwide, especially among Asian countries including Korea, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.<ref name="Iceismoney">
{{cite web
  |url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ice-is-money-in-chinas-coldest-city-20081113-62yj.html
  |title=Ice is money in China's coldest city
  |publisher=www.smh.com.au
  |date=13 November 2008
  |access-date=22 April 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002152548/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ice-is-money-in-chinas-coldest-city-20081113-62yj.html
  |archive-date=2 October 2009
  |url-status=live
  }}
</ref>

The "Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival" is one of the four largest ice and snow festivals in the world, along with Japan's [[Sapporo Snow Festival]], Canada's [[Quebec City Winter Carnival]], and Norway's [[Holmenkollen Ski Festival]].<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/>

Every November, the city of Harbin sends teams of ice artisans to the United States to promote their unique art form. It takes more than 100 artisans to create ICE!, the annual display of indoor Christmas-themed ice carvings in National Harbor, Maryland; Nashville, Tennessee; [http://www.gaylordpalms.com/ice Kissimmee, Florida]; and Grapevine, Texas.

===''The Music City''===
[[File:Harbin Music Park 2016-03-09.jpg|thumb|Harbin Music Park, located in Youyi West Road]]
Founded in 1908, the Harbin Symphony Orchestra was China's oldest symphony orchestra. Harbin No.1 Music School was also the first music school in China, which was founded in 1928. Nearly 100 famous musicians have studied at the school since its founding, said Liu Yantao, deputy chief of Harbin Cultural, Press and Publication Bureau.
Every year, thousands of youngsters start their music dreams in this city, and the "Harbin Summer Music Concert" serial activities that always be held in the every year's summer present the music passion of the locals.
[[UNESCO]] recognizes China's Harbin as "The Music City" as part of the [[Creative Cities Network]] in 2010.<ref name="english.peopledaily.com.cn"/>

====Harbin Summer Music Concert====

Harbin Summer Music Concert ('Concert' for short) is a national concert festival, which is held on 6 August every two years for a period of 10~11 days. During the concert, multiple evenings, concert, race and activities are held. The artists come from all over the world.

The 'Harbin Summer Music Month', which was then renamed as 'Harbin Summer Music Concert', was held in August 1958. The first formal Concert was held on 5 August 1961 in Harbin Youth Palace, and kept on every year until 1966 when the [[Cultural Revolution]] started in China.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artsbird.com/newweb12/artsnews.php?thisid=26163|title=Introduction of Harbin Summer Music Concert|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201005725/http://www.artsbird.com/newweb12/artsnews.php?thisid=26163|archive-date=1 February 2012}}</ref> In 1979, the Concert was recovered and from 1994, it has been held every two years. As a part of 2006 Harbin Summer Music Concert's opening ceremony, a 1,001-piano concert was held in Harbin's Flood memorial square located at the north end of [[Central Street (Harbin)|Central Street]] ({{lang-zh|s=中央大街|hp=Zhōngyāng Dàjiē|links=no}}) on 6 August 2006.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=zh:第28届中国·哈尔滨之夏音乐会琴宝隆之声·千台钢琴演奏会吉尼斯纪录申请过程|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2006-08-10/01489704857s.shtml|script-work=zh:新晚报|publisher=[[Sina Corp|Sina Entertainment]]|access-date=6 February 2014|author=李威 封娇 李木双|date=10 August 2006|language=zh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055948/http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2006-08-10/01489704857s.shtml|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|script-title=zh:"琴宝隆之声"千台钢琴演奏会奏响华彩乐章|url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/y/2006-08-08/14401191418.html/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140206000802/http://ent.sina.com.cn/y/2006-08-08/14401191418.html/|archive-date=6 February 2014|work=[[Sina Corp|Sina Entertainment]] |access-date=6 February 2014|author=王玮|date=8 August 2006|language=zh}}</ref> Repertoires of the ensemble consisted of ''[[Triumphal March]]'', ''Military March'', ''[[Radetzky March]]'' and famous traditional local song ''On The Sun Island''. This concert set a new Guinness World Record for largest piano ensemble, surpassing the previous record held by German artists in a 600-piano concert.<ref name="english.peopledaily.com.cn"/>
In 2008, the 29th Harbin Summer Music Concert was held on 6 August.
[[File:Harbin Grand Theatre Pano 201609.jpg|center|thumb|1024x1024px|[[Harbin Grand Theatre]], designed by [[MAD Studio]]. Located in Harbin's Songbei District, the opera house is surrounded by wetlands and waterways of Songhua River.]]

===Media===
[[File:黑龙江省哈尔滨市龙塔 02.JPG|thumb|287x287px|Dragon Tower (Long Ta), a 336-meter-tall freestanding [[lattice tower]], serves as the headquarter of [[HLJTV]]. ]]

===Television and radio===
* [[Heilongjiang Television]] (HLJTV) serves as the media outlets of this region, broadcasts on seven channels as well as a satellite channel for other provinces.
* {{ill|Harbin Television|zh|哈尔滨电视台|vertical-align=sup}} (HRBTV) serves as a municipal station, which has five channels for specialized programming.
* [[Long Guang]], ''Dragon Broadcast'', formerly Heilongjiang People's Broadcasting Station, the radio station group that serves the whole Heilongjiang region, providing seven channels including a Korean language broadcast station.
* {{ill|Harbin People's Broadcasting Station|zh|哈尔滨人民广播电台|vertical-align=sup}} (HPBS), broadcasts music, news, traffic, economy and life in Harbin and adjacent areas including Daqing, Suihua and Fuyu.

==Architecture==

Harbin is notable for its combination of Chinese and European architecture styles. Many Russian and other European style buildings are protected by the government. The architecture in Harbin gives it the nicknames of "Oriental Moscow" and "Oriental Paris" in China.<ref name="Profiles of China Provinces, Cities and Industrial Parks"/>In particular,landmarks such as Saint Sophia Cathedral and the buildings along Zhongyang Street highlight the city’s unique historical and cultural blend. 

===Historical architecture===
[[File:Central walk (1) - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|European-style building in Central Street]][[Central Street (Harbin)|Central Street]], one of the main business streets in Harbin, is a remnant of the bustling international business activities at the turn of the 20th century. First built in 1898, The {{convert|1.4|km|abbr=on}} long street is now a veritable museum of European architectural styles: [[Baroque]] and [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] façades,<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> little Russian bakeries and French fashion houses, as well as non European architectural styles: American eateries, and [[Japanese restaurant]]s.<ref name="Central Street">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023163837426.htm
 |title        = Central Street
 |publisher    = China National Tourist Office
 |access-date   = 23 October 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102145922/http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023163837426.htm
 |archive-date = 2007-11-02
 }}</ref>

The [[Russian Orthodox]] church, [[Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin|Saint Sophia Cathedral]], is also located in the central district of Daoli.<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/> Built in 1907 and expanded from 1923 to 1932, it was closed during the [[Great Leap Forward]] and Cultural Revolution periods. Following its designation in 1996 as a national cultural heritage site (First class Preserved Building),<ref>[http://www.upp.cn:8084/english/view/Arts/index_1.html "Preserved Buildings"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306120047/http://www.upp.cn:8084/english/view/Arts/index_1.html |date=2012-03-06 }}. [http://www.upp.cn/english/ Harbin Urban and Rural Planning Bureau] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531124449/http://www.upp.cn/english/ |date=2014-05-31 }}.</ref> it was turned into a museum as a showcase of the history of Harbin city in 1997.<ref name="Koga">Yukiko Koga. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=hkq9tNjsSo8C "The Atmosphere of a Foreign Country": Harbin's Architectural Inheritance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515175520/https://books.google.com/books?id=hkq9tNjsSo8C&printsec=frontcover |date=2016-05-15 }}''. In: Anne M. Cronin, Kevin Hetherington. ''Consuming the Entrepreneurial City: Image, Memory, Spectacle''. Routledge, 2008. p. 229.</ref> The {{convert|53.35|m|abbr=on}}-tall Church, which covers an area of 721 square meters, is a typical representative of Byzantine architecture.<ref name="Sofia Orthodox Church">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023164619188.htm
 |title        = St. Sofia Orthodox Church
 |publisher    = China National Tourist Office
 |access-date   = 23 October 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102145923/http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023164619188.htm
 |archive-date = 2007-11-02
 }}</ref>

[[File:ハルビン極楽寺玄関.jpg|thumb|right|Ji Le Temple (Temple of Bliss), a Buddhist temple in Harbin]]
Many citizens believe that the Orthodox church damaged the local [[feng shui]], so they donated money to build a Chinese Buddhist monastery in 1921, the [[Ji Le Temple]]. There were more than 15 Russian Orthodox churches and two cemeteries in Harbin until 1949. The [[Communist Revolution]], and the subsequent [[Cultural Revolution]], and the decrease in the [[Russians in China|ethnic Russian]] population, saw many of them abandoned or destroyed. Today, about 10 churches remain, while services are held only in the [[Church of the Intercession in Harbin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orthodox.cn/contemporary/harbin/pokrov_en.htm|title=Protection (Pokrov) of the Mother of God Church of Harbin|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722215200/http://www.orthodox.cn/contemporary/harbin/pokrov_en.htm|archive-date=22 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Harbin Railway Administration, formerly known as the Middle East Railway Administration, commonly known as the "big stone house", was built in 1902, destroyed twice and rebuilt in 1904 and 1906.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

===Modern architecture===
[[Harbin Grand Theatre]] is located in the cultural center of [[Songbei District]], Harbin. It provides 1600- and 400-seat venues. The architecture uses the external design of the heterogeneous hyperbolic surface.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sh.people.com.cn/n2/2016/0302/c357192-27847914.html|script-title=zh:美呆了！哈尔滨大剧院获评"世界最佳文化类建筑"|script-work=zh:文汇报 |via=people.com.cn |date=2 March 2016|access-date=4 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312181224/http://sh.people.com.cn/n2/2016/0302/c357192-27847914.html|archive-date=12 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Harbin Grand Theatre]] is a landmark building in Harbin. It is built in accordance with the water and is consistent with the surrounding environment. It embodies the concept of the landscape and landscape of the north. As a public building facility, the theatre provides people and visitors with different spatial experiences from the theatre, landscape, square and stereoscopic platform. During the design process, architect [[Ma Yansong]] has set up a unique sightseeing corridor and viewing platform in the [[Harbin Grand Theatre|Grand Theatre]]. Visitors are able to overlook the surrounding wetland and enjoy the unique natural wetland scenery of Harbin.

After the completion of the [[Harbin Grand Theatre]], the public can enjoy opera, symphony, ballet and drama performances in various function rooms.

==Sports==
[[File:哈尔滨体育学院体育场 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Division B of the 2018 Bandy World Championship was played at the [[Harbin Sport University Stadium]].]]
As the center of winter sports in China, Harbin has hosted the [[1996 Winter Asian Games]], the [[2009 Winter Universiade]] and the [[2025 Asian Winter Games]]. Along these events, many famous winter sports athletes come from Harbin. Olympic medalists include [[short track speed skating|short track]] star [[Wang Meng (speed skater)|Wang Meng]] (six-time medalist); [[long track speed skating|long track skater]] [[Zhang Hong (speed skater)|Zhang Hong]] ([[2014 Winter Olympics|2014 Sochi]], gold medal); and pairs figure skaters [[Shen Xue]] and [[Zhao Hongbo]] ([[2002 Winter Olympics|2002 Salt Lake City]], bronze medal; [[2006 Winter Olympics|2006 Turin]], bronze medal; and [[2010 Winter Olympics|2010 Vancouver]], gold medal), [[Zhang Dan]] and [[Zhang Hao (figure skater)|Zhang Hao]] ([[2006 Winter Olympics|2006 Turin]], silver medal), [[Pang Qing]] and [[Tong Jian]] ([[2010 Winter Olympics|2010 Vancouver]], silver medal),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/olympic-results|title=Olympic Results - Official Records|date=11 July 2016|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160930161748/https://www.olympic.org/olympic-results|archive-date=30 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Sui Wenjing]] and [[Han Cong]] ([[2022 Winter Olympics|2022 Beijing]], gold medal; [[2018 Winter Olympics|2018 Pyeongchang]], silver medal).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wenjing SUI|url=https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/athlete-profile-n1058064-wenjing-sui.htm|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=8 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308095639/https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/athlete-profile-n1058064-wenjing-sui.htm}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Cong HAN|url=https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/athlete-profile-n1058065-cong-han.htm|publisher=International Olympic Committee|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=5 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205231021/https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/athlete-profile-n1058065-cong-han.htm}}</ref>

Harbin has an indoor speed skating arena, the [[Heilongjiang Indoor Rink]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.speedskatingnews.info/en/data/rink/CHHA/|title=Heilongjiang Indoor Rink (CHHA) - Rink - SpeedSkatingNews|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727220107/http://www.speedskatingnews.info/en/data/rink/CHHA/|archive-date=27 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Opened in 1995, it is the oldest one of seven in China.

Mutual cooperation of the Far Eastern State Academy of Physical Culture and the Harbin Institute of Physical Education started an exchange of sports and cultural delegations, holding of sports, training of Chinese students in [[Khabarovsk]], Russia and Harbin. Russian side started to have plans to introduce [[bandy]] to China while Harbin has good preconditions to become one of the strong points of this sport in China.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://khabbandy.ru/index.php?id=278 |script-title=ru:Хоккеем с мячом заинтересовались в Харбинском институте физической культуры |publisher=Федерация хоккея с мячом Хабаровского края |access-date=26 March 2013 |language=ru |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529051522/http://khabbandy.ru/index.php?id=278 |archive-date=29 May 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[China national bandy team|national team]] is based in Harbin,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bandyvm2015.ru/en/news/?newsid=84|script-title=ru:News - XXXV Чемпионат мира по хоккею с мячом|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817234353/http://bandyvm2015.ru/en/news/?newsid=84|archive-date=17 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/6471/|script-title=ru:Китай сыграет на ЧМ-2015 - Архив новостей - Федерация хоккея с мячом России|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011201808/http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/6471/|archive-date=11 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and it was confirmed in advance that they would play in the [[2015 Bandy World Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bandyvm2015.ru/en/news/?newsid=88|script-title=ru:News - XXXV Чемпионат мира по хоккею с мячом|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817225238/http://bandyvm2015.ru/en/news/?newsid=88|archive-date=17 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Chinese team came 16th in a field of 17 teams, edging out Somalia. Mr Zhu, president of the [[Harbin Sport University|sport university]], is a member of the [[Federation of International Bandy]] council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinabandy.org/news/|script-title=zh:新闻|access-date=27 August 2016|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503173114/http://www.chinabandy.org/news/|archive-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> In December 2017, an international student tournament will be played.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/10983/|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref> While Chinese bandy is still in its initial stages, it is expected that Harbin even more will become the driving force behind the domestic development,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/11068/|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref> for example via opening the Federation of International Bandy office for development and promotion in Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/11081/|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://men.chinabandy.com/en/a/xinwen/2018/0115/127.html|title=Do you know ? In Harbin, besides VHL, there is the bandy game|access-date=22 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820000715/http://men.chinabandy.com/en/a/xinwen/2018/0115/127.html|archive-date=2018-08-20}}</ref>

[[Heilongjiang Lava Spring F.C.|Heilongjiang Ice City Football Club]] currently play their home soccer matches at [[Harbin International Conference Exhibition and Sports Center]], a 50000-seater stadium. The team gained promotion to [[China League One|China's second tier]] for the 2018 season when they came first in the 2017 China League Two division.

[[KRS Heilongjiang]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vhlru.ru/teams/|title=Высшая хоккейная лига - Команды|website=Vhlru.ru|access-date=22 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920033810/http://www.vhlru.ru/teams/|archive-date=20 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> are a professional ice hockey team based in the city. A member of the Russian-based [[Supreme Hockey League]] and one of two Chinese teams in the league. The team is affiliated with the [[Kontinental Hockey League]] side, also based in China, [[HC Kunlun Red Star]].

An indoor ski resort opened in Harbin in 2017 and laid claim to be the world's largest of its kind. It will make it possible to enjoy down-hill skiing all year round.<ref>[http://www.harbin.gov.cn/info/news/english/detail01/460784.htm harbin.gov.cn, Local News: "World's largest indoor ski resort opens to public", 4 July 2017-07-04] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022032514/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/info/news/english/detail01/460784.htm |date=22 October 2017 }}, retrieved 21 October 2017</ref>

===Events===
[[File:Walking China, Exploring the City Centre of Harbin, A Chinese City with Russian Influence.webm|thumb|Videovisit to Harbin.]]
The [[1996 Asian Winter Games]] were held in Harbin. While ice games were mainly held in Harbin city, the skiing events were held in [[Yabuli Ski Resort|Yabuli ski resort]], [[Shangzhi|Shangzhi City]]. In the frame of this campaign to assert its role on the world scene, Harbin hosted the [[2009 Winter Universiade]]. Local Government spent 3.6&nbsp;billion yuan for this event, with 2.63&nbsp;billion used in construction and renovation of its sport infrastructure for this Universiade.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.china.com.cn/news/txt/2008-09/19/content_16508043.htm | work=www.china.com.cn | script-title=zh:第24届大冬会09年2月18举行 共设12大项82小项 | date=2008-09-19 | access-date=17 May 2014 | language=zh | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071959/http://www.china.com.cn/news/txt/2008-09/19/content_16508043.htm | archive-date=6 October 2014 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Harbin hosted the [[2003 ABC Championship|Asian Basketball Confederation Championship]] in 2003, in which [[China men's national basketball team|China]] won the championship on their home court for the thirteenth time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://todor66.com/basketball/Asia/Men_2003.html|title=Men Basketball Asia Championship 2003 Harbin (CHN)- 23.09-01.10 Winner China|website=Todor66.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305194011/http://www.todor66.com/basketball/Asia/Men_2003.html|archive-date=2016-03-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

Harbin bid to host the [[2010 Winter Olympics]], which was ultimately awarded to Vancouver, Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gamesbids.com/eng/past-bid-results/|title=Past Bid Results|date=14 December 2013|website=Gamesbids.com|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724170633/http://gamesbids.com/eng/past-bid-results/|archive-date=24 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The second China-Russia University Winter Sports Carnival was inaugurated 12 December 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.xinhuanet.com/c/2017-12/13/c_1122100057.htm|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}{{dead link|date=July 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> This marked the first international [[bandy]] in Harbin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2017-12-12/doc-ifypnqvn3716096.shtml|title=Google Översätt|website=Translate.google.se|date=12 December 2017|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref> The Russian participation came from {{ill|DVGAFK|ru|Дальневосточная государственная академия физической культуры|vertical-align=sup}} in [[Khabarovsk]] among men and [[IrGTU]] in [[Irkutsk]] among women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/11505/|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>

Being the national centre of bandy, Harbin organised Division B of the [[2018 Bandy World Championship]] and China improved its placing to 12th from a total field of 16 teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1046600/womens-world-bandy-championship-awarded-to-china|title=Women's World Bandy Championship awarded to China|website=Insidethegames.biz|date=3 February 2017 |access-date=22 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328230836/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1046600/womens-world-bandy-championship-awarded-to-china|archive-date=28 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbandy.com/filer/Agenda_for_Annual_Congress.pdf|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171204144410/http://www.worldbandy.com/filer/Agenda_for_Annual_Congress.pdf|title=FIB Annual Congress, Gävle, Sweden|date=2017-01-30|archive-date=2017-12-04|access-date=2023-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rusbandy.ru/news/10347/|title=Google Translate|website=Translate.google.co.uk|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>

==Transport==
===Railway===
[[File:Chinese Eastern Railway-en.svg|thumb|Railway system in Northeast China]]
Located at the junction of "T-style" mainline system, Harbin is an important railway hub of the Northeast China Region.<ref name="Harbin Transportation"/> Harbin Railway Bureau is the first Railway Bureau established by People's Republic of China Government, of which the railway density is the highest in China. Five conventional rail lines radiate from Harbin to: [[Jingha Railway|Beijing (Jingha Line)]], [[Binsui Railway|Suifenhe (Binsui Line)]], [[Binzhou Railway|Manzhouli (Binzhou Line)]], [[Binbei Railway|Beian (Binbei Line)]] and [[Labin Railway|Lalin (Labin Line)]]. In addition, Harbin has a [[high-speed rail]] line linking [[Dalian]], Northeast China's southernmost seaport. In 2009, construction began on the new [[Harbin West Railway Station]] with 18 platforms, located on the southwestern part of the city. In December 2012, the station was opened, as China unveiled its [[Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway|first high-speed rail]] running through regions with extremely low winter temperatures. with scheduled runs from Harbin to Dalian.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://english.jl.gov.cn/News/GeneralNews/201211/t20121127_1319324.html | work=Website of Jilin Province Government | title=Harbin-Dalian high-speed rail went into operation on December 1 | date=2012-11-27 | access-date=2013-01-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515180906/http://english.jl.gov.cn/News/GeneralNews/201211/t20121127_1319324.html | archive-date=2013-05-15 }}</ref> The weather-proof CRH380B bullet trains serving the line can accommodate temperatures from minus 40 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius above zero.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-10/08/c_131893803.htm | work=[[Xinhuanet]] | title=China tests world's first alpine high-speed rail line | date=2012-10-08 | access-date=2013-01-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121011141/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-10/08/c_131893803.htm | archive-date=2012-11-21 }}</ref>
China's most northerly high-speed railway, [[Harbin–Qiqihar intercity railway|'''Harbin–Qiqihar''']] Intercity Railway, opened for revenue service on 17 August 2015. The rail links three largest principal cities in Heilongjiang including Harbin, Daqing and Qiqihar. [[Harbin–Jiamusi intercity railway|Harbin–Jiamusi]] and [[Harbin–Mudanjiang intercity railway|Harbin–Mudanjiang]] Intercity railways both opened for public service in 2018, connecting the provincial capital to major prefectural level cities Mudanjiang and Jiamusi.

The city's main railway stations are the [[Harbin Railway Station]], which was first built in 1899 and expanded in 1989. The main station is rebuilt in 2017, and now is still under construction; the [[Harbin East Railway Station]], which opened in 1934; and the [[Harbin West Railway Station]], which was built into the city's high-speed railway station in 2012.<ref name="Harbin Transportation">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_17/20071023165944248.htm
 |title       = Harbin Transportation
 |publisher   = China National Tourist Office
 |access-date  = 23 October 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102150018/http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_17/20071023165944248.htm
 |archive-date = 2 November 2007
}}</ref> Another main station, [[Harbin North Railway Station]], opened for public service in 2015, along with new built Harbin-Qiqihar Passenger Railway.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hlj.gov.cn/zwdt/system/2014/10/24/010690273.shtml |script-title=zh:哈尔滨北站和哈齐客专明年同步使用 |publisher=东北网-黑龙江晨报 |date=2014-10-24 |access-date=2015-06-19 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619090442/http://www.hlj.gov.cn/zwdt/system/2014/10/24/010690273.shtml |archive-date=2015-06-19 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Passenger rail transport in China|Direct passenger train service]] is available from Harbin Railway Station to large cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Jinan, Nanjing and many other major cities in China.<ref name="China-briefing.com"/> Direct high-speed railway service began operation between Harbin West and Shanghai Hongqiao stations on 28 December 2013, and shorten the journey time to 12 hours.<ref name="HarbinShanghai">{{cite web
  |url=http://digitalpaper.stdaily.com/http_www.kjrb.com/kjrb/html/2013-12/29/content_240485.htm?div=-1
  |script-title=zh:哈尔滨至上海高铁开通
  |publisher=科技日报
  |access-date=17 May 2014
  |language=zh
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115756/http://digitalpaper.stdaily.com/http_www.kjrb.com/kjrb/html/2013-12/29/content_240485.htm?div=-1
  |archive-date=17 May 2014
  }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" height="170px" caption="Harbin railway system">
File:North Terminal of Harbin Railway Station 01.jpg|North terminal of Harbin Railway Station
File:Harbin West Railway Station.jpg|Harbin West Railway Station
File:Harbin East Railway Station.JPG|Harbin East Railway Station
File:哈尔滨南站 - panoramio.jpg|Harbin South Railway Station
File:Nangang, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China - panoramio (8).jpg|A CRH High-Speed train enters Harbin West railway station.
</gallery>

===Road===
[[File:哈平路 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Haping road, one of the main municipal roads in the south of Harbin]]
As an important regional hub in Northeast China, Harbin has an advanced highway system. Major highways that pass through or terminate in Harbin include the Beijing–Harbin, Heihe–Dalian, Harbin–Tongjiang, Changchun–Harbin, and Manzhouli–Suifenhe highways.
[[File:Hexing Road in Harbin 03.jpg|thumb|Hexing Road, western part of Harbin's 2nd ring road]]
* [[G1 Beijing–Harbin Expressway]]
* [[G10 Suifenhe–Manzhouli Expressway]]
* [[G1001 Harbin Ring Expressway]]
* [[G1011 Harbin–Tongjiang Expressway]], a spur of G10 that extends west to [[Tongjiang, Heilongjiang|Tongjiang]], formerly part of [[China National Highway 010]]
* [[G1111 Hegang–Harbin Expressway]], a spur of [[G11 Hegang–Dalian Expressway]]
* [[G1211 Jilin–Heihe Expressway]], a spur of [[G12 Hunchun–Ulanhot Expressway]] that extends north to [[Heihe]]
* [[China National Highway 102]]
* [[China National Highway 202]]
* [[China National Highway 221]]
* [[China National Highway 222]]
* [[File:Edmonton Rd at Kang'an Rd, Harbin (20240501163311).jpg|thumb|Edmonton Rd at Kang'an Rd, Harbin 2024]][[China National Highway 301]]

===Air===
{{Main|Harbin Taiping International Airport}}

[[Harbin Taiping International Airport]], which is {{convert|35|km|0|abbr=off}} away from the urban area of Harbin, is the second largest international airport in Northeast China. The technical level of flight district is 4E, which allows all kinds of large and medium civil aircraft. There are flights to over thirty large cities including [[Beijing]], [[Tianjin]], [[Shanghai]], [[Nanjing]], [[Qingdao]], [[Wenzhou]], [[Xiamen]], [[Guangzhou]], [[Shenzhen]], [[Shenyang]], [[Dalian]], [[Xi'an]] and Hong Kong.<ref name="China-briefing.com"/> In addition there are also scheduled international flights between Harbin and Russia, [[Singapore]], Malaysia and South Korea. In June 2015, The first LCC international air routes to Japan, specifically the city of [[Nagoya]] was to begin.<ref name="Harbin Transportation"/>
Because of the freight capability limitation, construction of the T2 Terminal began on 31 October 2014. The 160,000-square-meter T2 Terminal was scheduled to be finished in 2017, and will increase the freight capacity of the airport to three times of the previous.<ref>{{cite news|author1=周琳|script-title=zh:哈尔滨太平机场扩建主体工程开工 T2航站楼3年内投用|url=http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2014/11/01/056096079.shtml|access-date=21 November 2014|script-work=zh:生活报|publisher=东北网|language=zh-hans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129060115/http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2014/11/01/056096079.shtml|archive-date=29 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Harbin is also working on T3 which would be shaped like a snow flake, signifying Harbin as an ice city famous for their annual International Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival which places during the heavy winter season.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Rytis Beresnevicius|title=The Most Futuristic Airport – Harbin Taiping International Airport|url=https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/23133-harbin-taiping-new-terminal3|date=7 June 2019|access-date=22 November 2022|work=i-mad|publisher=Aerotime Hub }}</ref>

===Metro===
{{Main|Harbin Metro}}
[[File:Exit 3, Taipingqiao Station, Harbin Metro 20130909-B.jpg|thumb|Entrance of Taipingqiao Station of Line 1, Harbin Metro]]
Construction of [[Harbin Metro]] started on 5 December 2006. The total investment for the first phase of Line 1 is RMB5.89&nbsp;billion. Twenty stations were planned to be set on this {{convert|17.73|km|abbr=on}} long line starting from Harbin East Railway Station to the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University in the west of the city. A metro depot, a command centre and two transformer substations will be built along the line. Most of the line's route follows the air defence evacuation tunnel left from the "7381" Project, which started in 1973 and ended in 1979. The 7381 project was intended to protect Harbin from the former Soviet Union's possible invasion or nuclear attack.

[[File:巡道工出品 photo by Xundaogong医大二院站厅层 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Yidaeryuan (2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University) Station, interchange station between Line 1 and Line 3]]
The [[Line 1, Harbin Metro|Line 1 of Harbin Metro]] opened on 26 September 2013.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} It is oriented along the east–west axis of the [[urban area]] of Harbin: from north-east (Harbin East Railway Station) to south-west (2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University).<ref name=Xinhua20130926>{{cite news |url=http://society.people.com.cn/n/2013/0926/c1008-23049247.html |script-title=zh:哈尔滨地铁1号线载客试运营正式开通 |date=2013-09-26 |website=people.com.cn |language=zh-cn |access-date=3 January 2014 |archive-date=4 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104013324/http://society.people.com.cn/n/2013/0926/c1008-23049247.html }}</ref> Line 2 and Line 3 are under construction. Line 2 runs from Songbei District to Xiangfang District and ringlike Line 3 runs through Daoli, Daowai, Nangang and Xiangfang Districts of Harbin. On 26 January 2017, Phase I of Line 3 opened for public service. Line 3 links Harbin West Railway Station to Yidaeryuan Station, the transfer station between Line 1 and Line 3.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.eastday.com/eastday/13news/auto/news/china/20170126/u7ai6444923.html |script-title=zh:哈尔滨地铁3号线一期工程通车试运营 迎来"换乘"时代 |work=Northeast News |location=Heilongjiang, China |publisher=DBW.CN |date=26 January 2017 |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925180653/http://news.eastday.com/eastday/13news/auto/news/china/20170126/u7ai6444923.html |archive-date=25 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the long term, the city plans to build nine radiating metro lines and a circle line in downtown and some suburban districts, which account for {{convert|340|km|1|abbr=on}} by 2025.<ref name="H340">{{Cite web |url=http://www.harbin.gov.cn/hrbzfw/hrb_today/display.php?id=33290 |script-title=zh:哈埠地铁2013年载客试运行 6月份进行铺轨工程 |author=哈尔滨市人民政府 |date=2011-03-09 |access-date=2014-01-25 |language=zh }}{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Picture References:
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110707205544/http://hi.baidu.com/lt4mao/blog/item/30e67727a72e5408938f9d64.html "7381" Project, a Civil Defense System in Harbin]
* [http://www.icefestivalharbin.com/article-p66-harbin-metro-map-line-1.html Harbin Metro Map, Line 1]

===Ports and waterways===
[[File:SonghuaRiver ASTER 20020401.jpg|thumb|'''Songhua River''']]
There are more than 1,900 rivers in Heilongjiang, including the [[Songhua River]], [[Heilong River]] and [[Wusuli River]], creating a convenient system of waterway transportation. Harbin harbor is one of eight inland ports in China and the largest of its type in Northeast China. Available from mid-April until the beginning of November, passenger ships sail from Harbin up the Songhua River to [[Qiqihar]], or downstream to [[Jiamusi]], [[Tongjiang, Heilongjiang|Tongjiang]], and [[Khabarovsk]] in Russia.<ref name="China-briefing.com"/>

==Education and research==
[[File:Harbin Institute of Technology - Main Bldg.jpg|thumb|right|The main building of [[Harbin Institute of Technology]]. Note the [[Stalinist architecture|Stalinist]] "tier-cake" façade, reminiscent of the [[Seven Sisters (Moscow)|"Seven Sisters" in Moscow]].]]
Harbin is one of the top 50 cities and metropolitan areas in the world by [[scientific research]] output as tracked by the [[Nature Index]].<ref name=":0" /> As of 2024, the QS Best Student Cities Rankings ranked Harbin as the best city in [[Northeast China]] and 148th globally, making it an important hub for international students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2025 |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/city-rankings |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Top Universities |language=en}}</ref>

As Harbin serves as an important military industrial base after PRC's foundation, it is home to several key universities mainly focused on the science and technology service of national military and aerospace industry.<ref name="Scientific Technology and Education">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Scientific_Technology.htm
 |title        = Scientific Technology and Education
 |publisher    = Harbin Municipal Government
 |access-date   = 14 September 2011
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140408100054/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/english/Harbin_Overview/Scientific_Technology.htm
 |archive-date = 2014-04-08
 }}</ref> Soviet experts played an important role in many education projects in this period. Due to the threat of possible war with the Soviet Union, however, several colleges were moved southwards to [[Changsha]], [[Chongqing]], and several other [[South China|southern]] cities in China in the 1960s. Some of these colleges were returned to Harbin in the 1970s.

The city hosts [[List of universities and colleges in Heilongjiang|several major universities]] in [[Northeast China]], including [[Harbin Institute of Technology]], [[Harbin Engineering University]], [[Harbin Medical University]], [[Northeast Agricultural University]], [[Harbin University of Science and Technology]], [[Harbin Normal University]], [[Northeast Forestry University]], [[Harbin University]], [[Heilongjiang University of Science and Technology]], [[Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine]], [[Harbin University of Commerce]], [[Harbin Sport University]], and [[Heilongjiang University]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Universities Ranking |url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/bcur/2022 |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=www.shanghairanking.com |archive-date=19 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419224008/https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/bcur/2022 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Notably, [[Harbin Institute of Technology]] is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world for engineering.<ref name=":1" /> HIT was ranked fifth globally in the Best Global Universities for Engineering by [[U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking|U.S. News]] in 2022.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2021-10-26 |title=US News: Best Global Universities for Engineering 2022 |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref> Founded in 1920 with strong support by the Russian diaspora connected with the Chinese Eastern Railway, the university has developed into an important research university mainly focusing on engineering (e.g. in [[space science]] and [[defense (military)|defense]]-related technologies, welding technology and engineering),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/kuaizhou-china-launches-new-rocket/|title=Kuaizhou – China secretly launches new quick response rocket|date=25 September 2013|quote=Built by the Harbin Institute of Technology, the new satellite will be used for emergency data monitoring and imaging...|access-date=22 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812035715/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/09/kuaizhou-china-launches-new-rocket/|archive-date=12 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malab.se.ritsumei.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/OB_quan.pdfand|title=Work at HIT as lecturer after graduation|access-date=22 April 2014}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> with supporting faculties in the sciences, management, humanities and social sciences. The institute's faculty and students contributed to and invented China's first [[analog computer]], the first intelligent chess computer, and the first arc-welding robot. In 2010, research funding from the government, industry, and business sectors surpassed RMB1.13 billion, the second highest of any university in China.<ref name="China-briefing.com" />

==Military==
Harbin is now headquarters of the [[78th Group Army]] of the [[People's Liberation Army]], one of the three group armies that comprise the [[Northern Theater Command]] responsible for defending China's northeastern borders with Russia, [[Mongolia]] and [[North Korea]]. [[23rd Army (People's Republic of China)|23rd Group Army]] of the [[People's Liberation Army|PLA]] used to garrison in Harbin before it was disbanded in a cycle of reductions in 2003.

==International relations==
Harbin has [[town twinning]] and similar arrangements with approximately 30 places around the world, as well as some other cities within China. For a list, see [[List of twin towns and sister cities in China#H|List of twin towns and sister cities in China → H]].

In 2009 Harbin opened an International Sister Cities museum. It has 1,048 exhibits in 28 rooms, with a total area of {{convert|1800|m2|0|abbr=off}}.<ref name="China Daily">{{cite web|url=http://e.my399.com/culture/architecture/2013-05-24/250.html|title=Harbin International Sister Cities Museum|access-date=2013-08-08|date=2013-05-24|work=China Daily.Com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808030057/http://e.my399.com/culture/architecture/2013-05-24/250.html|archive-date=2013-08-08|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 3 September 2015, China and Russia signed an agreement to re-open the Russian consulate in Harbin, as the former Soviet consulate was closed in 1962 after the [[Sino-Soviet split]]. China will also establish a corresponding consulate in Vladivostok.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ru:Документы, подписанные по итогам российско-китайских переговоров 3 сентября 2015 г.|url=http://www.russia.org.cn/rus/2728/31302634.html|website=Russia.org.cn/|publisher=The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the People's Republic of China|access-date=6 September 2015|language=ru|date=3 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924092908/http://www.russia.org.cn/rus/2728/31302634.html|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Fu Tiegang]] (born 1953), Chinese former politician.
*[[Han Cong]] (born 1992), Chinese pair skater 
*[[He Xin (ice hockey)|He Xin]] (born 1996), Chinese [[ice hockey]] player and member of the [[China women's national ice hockey team]].
*[[Jia Nailiang]] (born 1984), Chinese actor.
*[[Li Haitao (politician)]] (born 1963), Chinese former politician.
*[[Lin Hu (general)|Lin Hu]] (born 1927), Russian-Chinese aviator, fighter pilot and [[lieutenant general]] of the [[People's Liberation Army Air Force]] (PLAAF) 
*[[Liu He (engineer)|Liu He]] (born 1961), highly accomplished Chinese engineer.
*[[I. Michael Lerner]] (1910–1977), American geneticist, born in Harbin
*[[Simu Liu]] (born 1989), Chinese-Canadian actor.
*[[Ma Fanshu]] (born 1993), Chinese television host.
*[[Ningning (singer)|Ningning]] (born 2002), Chinese singer, member of the South Korean girl group [[Aespa]].
*[[Qiao Jie]] (born 1964), Chinese [[obstetrician]], reproductive physician and biologist, current president of [[Peking University Third Hospital]]
*[[Song Jia (actress, born 1980)|Song Jia]] (born 1980), Chinese actress and singer.
*[[Song Xibin]] (born 1963), Chinese former politician.
*[[Song Yadong]] (born 1997), Chinese [[mixed martial artist]] who competes in the [[Bantamweight (MMA)|Bantamweight division]] of the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]].
*[[Sui Wenjing]] (born 1995), Chinese pair skater 
*[[Sun Rui (singer)|Sun Rui]] (born 1995), Chinese singer, dancer, and actress. 
*[[Wang Bin (executive)|Wang Bin]] (born 1958), Chinese former business executive and senior economist.
*[[Xu Binshi]] (born 1931), Chinese engineer.
*[[Xu Dongdong]] (born 1990), Chinese actress, singer and model.
*[[Kang Wang (opera singer)|Kang Wang]] (born 1988), opera singer, tenor. 
* [[Zhang Xiyan]] (born 1980), Chinese female boxer.
* [[Ren Ziwei]](born 1997),Chinese short track speed skater.
* [[Li Bingbing]](born 1973),Chinese actress and singer.
* [[Sun Honglei]](born 1970), Chinese actor.
* [[Ma Su (actress)|Ma Su]](born 1981),Chinese actress.

== See also ==
* [[Chinese Baroque Street]]
* [[Homo longi|Dragon man]]
* [[Harbin Ferris Wheel]]
* [[Harbin Siberian Tiger Park]]
* [[List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population]]
* [[List of colleges and universities in Harbin]]
* [[List of current and former capitals of subnational entities of China]]
* [[List of universities and colleges in Heilongjiang]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/patenta_xxx_1977_00_6601|title=The Jurchen in Twelfth-Century China|date=1976|publisher=University of Washington Press|isbn=0-295-95514-7|last1=Jing-shen|first1=Tao|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/patenta_xxx_1977_00_6601/page/276|title=Harbin and Manchuria: Place, Space, and Identity|date=15 November 2001|publisher=Duke University Press Books|isbn=0-295-95514-7|edition=South Atlantic Quarterly (Book 99)|location=Location|pages=[https://archive.org/details/patenta_xxx_1977_00_6601/page/276 276 pages]|last1=Lahusen|first1=Thomas}}
* {{Cite book|last=Karlinsky|first= Simon |title=Freedom from Violence and Lies Essays on Russian Poetry and Music|location= Boston|publisher= Academic Studies Press|year=2013}} Excerpt at {{JSTOR|j.ctt1zxsk34.29}}
* Walravens, Hartmut. "German Influence on the Press in China". – In: ''Newspapers in International Librarianship: Papers Presented by the Newspaper Section at IFLA General Conferences''. [[Walter de Gruyter]], 1 January 2003. {{ISBN|978-3-11-096279-6}}.
e**[http://ifla.queenslibrary.org/IV/ifla62/62-walh.htm Also available at] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20030617073505/http://ifla.queenslibrary.org/IV/ifla62/62-walh.htm Archive]) the website of the [[Queens Library]] – This version does not include the footnotes visible in the Walter de Gruyter version
**Also available in Walravens, Hartmut and Edmund King. ''Newspapers in international librarianship: papers presented by the newspapers section at IFLA General Conferences''. [[K.G. Saur]], 2003. {{ISBN|978-3-598-21837-8}}.
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* Bakich, Olga. "A Russian City in China: Harbin before 1917". ''Canadian Slavonic Papers'' 28.2 (1986): 129–148.
* Carter, James. "Struggle for the Soul of a City: Nationalism, Imperialism, and Racial Tension in 1920s Harbin". ''Modern China'' 27.1 (2001): 91–116.
* Clausen, Søren, and Stig Thøgersen. ''The making of a Chinese city: history and historiography in Harbin'' (ME Sharpe, 1995).
* Gamsa, Mark. "Harbin in comparative perspective". ''Urban History'' 37.1 (2010): 136–149.
* Guins, George C. "Russians in Manchuria". ''Russian Review'' 2.2 (1943): 81–87. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/125255 Online] [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/j.ctt1zxsk34.29.pdf excerpt]
* Horn, Dara, ''People Love Dead Jews''. New York: W. W. Norton. (2021)  {{ISBN|978-0-393-53157-2}}.  Chapter 2: Frozen Jews.  
* Lahusen, Thomas. "A place called Harbin: reflections on a centennial". ''China Quarterly'' 154 (1998): 400–410.
* Meyer, Mike, "Manchuria Under Ice", ''Departures Magazine'', Nov/Dec 2006, 292–297
* Xie, Liou, et al. "Harbin: A rust belt city revival from its strategic position". ''Cities'' 58 (2016): 26–38. [https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/54542734/FULL_TEXT.PDF Online]
* Zissermann, Lenore Lamont, ''Mitya's Harbin; Majesty and Menace'', Book Publishers Network, 2016, {{ISBN|978-1-940598-75-8}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|Harbin|wikt=no}}
{{Wiktionary|Harbin|Ha'erbin|Ha-erh-pin}}
* [http://www.harbin.gov.cn/ Harbin Government website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226204926/http://www.harbin.gov.cn/ |date=26 February 2011 }}
* {{Wikivoyage inline}}

{{Harbin}}
{{Heilongjiang topics}}
{{Heilongjiang}}
{{Metropolitan cities of the People's Republic of China}}
{{Provincial capitals of China}}
{{Prefectural-level divisions of the People's Republic of China}}
{{Asian Games Host Cities}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Harbin| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Heilongjiang]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in China]]
[[Category:Songhua River]]
[[Category:Populated places with period of establishment missing]]
[[Category:Prefecture-level divisions of Heilongjiang]]
[[Category:Sub-provincial cities in the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Historic Jewish communities in Asia]]
[[Category:National Civilized City]]
[[Category:National Famous Historical and Cultural City]]