The history of Harbin is closely related to the railway. From 65438 to 0898, the Russians began to build the Middle East Railway and built three railway stations in Harbin, namely Songhua River Station, Jiangyan Station and Harbin Station. Songhua River Station is now Harbin Station, but its Russian-style building was demolished at 1959. Now the station we saw in Harbin has lost its elegance. Jiangyan Station was renamed as Wharf Station and binjiang station after liberation (mainly used for freight transportation). Harbin Station was renamed Old Harbin Station, which is now Xiangfang Railway Station in Harbin.

Among the older generation in Harbin, there is a legend that "Xiangfang comes first, then Harbin". From 65438 to 0898, after the first batch of Russian railway engineers and technicians arrived in Xiangfang, a railway station was built in the west of Xiangfang, named "Harbin Station". Because Harbin stood in Xixiangfang District, the whole Xixiangfang was originally called "Harbin" or "Harbin District". I think this is probably the reason for "Xiangfang first, then Harbin". In July 1903, 14, the Middle East Railway was opened to traffic. Because Russians call nangang district a "new city", but according to our custom in China, it is called "New Harbin". For the sake of distinction, Xiangfang Harbin Station was changed to "Old Harbin Station". After liberation, "Old Harbin Station" was changed to Xiangfang Station.