I Live by the Songhua River

HAVING worked in the television industry for 15 years, I've been to various Chinese, European and American cities, but of all of them I like my hometown, Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the best. My affection stems neither from Harbin's beauty nor my nostalgia, but from the city's distinctive glamour.Harbin's unique culture came into being because of two major events: the Niizhen, ancestors of the Manchu ethnic group, establishing their capital in what is now Harbin 800 years ago, and the influx of foreign immigrants in the 20th century. Both of these groups introduced distinct cultural elements to Harbin.

I Live by the Songhua River