Talk:Harbin

Russian name

I don't see why someone should add a Russian name to the head of the article. Harbin is not a Russian city. Snle 17:03, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

Not any longer. But it was founded by Russians and the majority of its inhabitants were Russian for many decades.--Niohe 17:27, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

As I can see from your user page, you are not Chinese. You don't know Chinese history well. Harbin was not founded by Russians. Since you know Chinese, I suggest you to have a look at the Chinese version of this article for Harbin's history. It is too difficult to translate Chinese history into English. In addition, Russians were never the majority of Harbin. Where did you get that? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 918 (talk • contribs) 20:13, 1 October 2006.

Thanks for the tip, Zhang Qiang/Snle. According to the Chinese page, out of a total population of 68,549, there were 34,313 Russians and 23,537 Chinese in Harbin in 1913.--Niohe 20:32, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

I doubt the accuracy of these figures. Even if they are correct, it doesn't justify you to put Russian name here, because those Russians only temporily lived in Harbin and there is only tiny number of Russians living in Harbin now. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 918 (talk • contribs) .

Harbin was still under Russian rule, hence the Russian name should stay. —Khoikhoi 20:46, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

So apparently Chinese Wikipedia is not that useful after all? Or is it only useful when it supports your argument?--

Niohe 20:46, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

There is no such policy to justify you to put Russian name on the top of this article, simply because Russian once lived in Harbin for some years. 918 21:28, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

Yes there is, I direct you to: Wikipedia:Redirect#What_needs_to_be_done_on_pages_that_are_targets_of_redirects.3F and Wikipedia:Guide_to_writing_better_articles#Principle_of_least_astonishment. When a user clicks through Kharbin and Harbin shows up, you better tell the user in the 1st paragraph why that happened. The path of quickest information is that pursued, by putting the former names in parantheses. I only only repeat myself: this is common pratice on Wikipedia. —Khoikhoi 21:31, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

You see. Taiwan was liberated by the Japanese from the Machu Qing's enslavement. And Taiwanese are quite grateful for that. If your reasoning holds water, then every city in Taiwan should have a Japanese name on the top of its article then. Zhang Qiang 15:26, 2 October 2006 (UTC)

Interestingly, Vladivostok, Blagoveshchensk, Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, and Nerchinsk all mention their old Chinese names somewhere near the top of the article. Similarly, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk mentions the old Japanese name, and Sakhalin lists the Japanese name, Chinese name, even the Korean name. The only glaring exception was Khabarovsk, which I've fixed a few minutes ago. -- ran (talk) 18:22, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

I don't find your examples interesting at all. Those cities with Chinese names were original Chinese or Manchu regions. But Harbin has never been Russian's city. It is inappropriate to have Russian name for Harbin in the article. Russia's influence on Harbin in history should only be indicated in the history section. 23:39, 10 October 2006 (UTC)— Preceding unsigned comment added by 13569 (talk • contribs)

It had significant russian minority. `'mikka (t) 23:41, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

There are only 15,600 Russians in China and most of them don't live in Harbin. 23:54, 10 October 2006 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 13569 (talk • contribs)

Errors

Why are there so many errors about Harbin and Sungari? Why is this city written up to appear as if it suddenly popped up after the Chinese Revolution after World War II? This city was started by the Russians on a virgin soil, undeveloped except for a small fishing village in 1898, that grew into a large Russian town by 1930s, with many Russian churches, Lutheran church, Catholic church, synagogues, etc., with a Russian and other European population of some quarter-million people. Why are the Japanese listed as occupying Harbin during World War II, when they occupied it in 1932? Why is the Institute of Technology (originally called Polytechnicum) insisuated to be a Chinese universoity when it was originally started by the Russians in this Russian city (outside of Russia)? Why is there no mention that it was populated after the Russian Revolution mostly by the so-called White Russians who maintained the old, pre-revolutionary customs and traditions, incl. religious services and schools? Chinese Red Guards blew up the Harbin centerpiece during their fervor, destroying a beautiful and original landmark of artistic architectural value. Since then the PRC government has been trying to solicit donations from the Russian harbinites elswhere in the world (US especially) to restore this monument that had attracted many tourists before its destruction. How is that for hutzpah?

Good morning (or whatever time it may be in your corner of the world). If you are knowledgeable about he subject, please go ahead and rewrite the article. That´s how wikipedia works. Welcome! 141.83.15.155 06:06 3 Jul 2003 (UTC)

Well if you type that into the entry, disputes can arise. And I would be the first one to question you if you did so.

city info template

can anyone insert a city info template? i.e. population, wheather, density, area. etc. e.g. see the one for Montreal

Benzene Leak Dates

I don't understand the dates given. It states that 'On 22 November 2005 city officials announced that the water will be cut off for four days. The price of bottled water doubled, schools and public bathhouses were closed. The next day water was, however, reinstated for 12 days because officals concluded that the toxic water would not reach the city until 24 November.' Surely this should be two days, since otherwise, the water would not be cut off until December, by which time the benzene would have passed and people already poisoned. smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 20:16, 23 November 2005 (UTC)

Someone has updated it to the more reasonable 12 hours. Thank you! smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 16:14, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

9 million

If 9 million people live in this city, why is it not in the List of metropolitan areas by population? Piet 10:41, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

The BBC [1] gives the population closer to 3.4 million; 9 million would be larger than Beijing metropolitan area. smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 16:05, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

I have removed the number. Not nice, but I figured no information is better than false information. Hopefully someone has a reliable source (please link to it). Piet 14:59, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

User:El C has put the population figures and I've put the link to the Government website which gives this information. This matter is now closed ? Manik Raina 14:24, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Historical names

I've directed the discussion towards Talk:Dalian#Historical names—please discuss there. —Khoikhoi 17:54, 1 October 2006 (UTC)