Haerbin in the Winter

This is a picture a friend sent me of a part of Haerbin, the capital of the northeasternmost province of China, Heilongjiang (which literally means “Black Dragon River"). As part of my travels for the summer, I went to the northeast (completely opposite from my southwestern home in humid Chongqing) and spent a total of a month there. Haerbin is famous for its icy cold winters (since it is, after all, situated in the northernmost province) and beautiful ice sculptures that the citizens carve during winter, which is partly what the picture portrays here. In the coldest time, these sculptures are placed all over the city, and people even decorate them with strands of holiday lights. When everything is ready, the lights are turned on, and city comes alive in the dead of a winter night--or so I'm told. I have yet to experience the beauty for myself, but maybe someday I will visit Haerbin during the winter.

 

This picture does not belong to any collection, but it does capture an ephemeral moment in the life of a region. Haerbin in the summertime is noting like the winter, but it is the winter which gives it character and distinction. Thus, I think this picture can be categorized under the title, "Transient." However, there is nothing transient about the hardy northeastern people with their strange-sounding dialect who live there.

Interacting with them made me realize the vast differences in Chinese people that one can find. It's really amazing--before, I had thought that all Chinese were alike, and even though they spoke different dialects, I thought they shared many of the same customs. Now I know I am definitely wrong. The regions we live in do a lot to shape who we are.

 

I think five good keywords for this picture are: "transient," "Northeast," "ice sculptures," "regional influence," and "beautiful."

 

Done