Harbin

Harbin is the capital city of China's Heilongjiang Province. A beautiful city with exotic flavor, Harbin has not only incorporated the history and culture of northern minorities, but also has blended both Chinese and foreign cultures. A famous historical and cultural city and a well-known tourist destination, it has enjoyed the beautiful titles of "city of clove", "city of ice" and "pearl beneath the swan's neck".

Temple of literature and Jile Temple contrast with the western classic and grotesque churches or cathedrals of Orthodox church, Roman Catholicism, and Christianity, each setting the other off magnificently. Acclaimed "Oriental Moscow" and "Oriental Little Paris", Harbin boasts colorfully beautiful natural scenery in its four distinct seasons. Its famous tourist resorts include Taiyang Island, Northeast Tiger's Reserve, Yuquan Gameland and Yabuli.

With a long history, Harbin is the birthplace of China's two dynasties of Jin and Qing. In ancient time the place was inhabited by Nuchen minority, the ancestry of Manchu ethnic group. At the end of the 19th century, with the settlement of large number of immigrants from home and abroad, Harbin developed into a fairly advanced industrial and commercial city in north China. An area resided with a multitude of ethnic groups, its residents mainly include Han people, as well as 40 other ethnic groups like Manchu, Hui, Mongolians, and Koreans.