Meaning: The nickname “Erbin” for Harbin, capital city of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, became a trending topic on Sina Weibo last week after the city’s tourism authorities published a promotional message via people.cn, saying that “My surname is Ha, and my first name Erbin.” This winter, the city has gone above and beyond to allure and cater to tourists from South China, with feats such as using a drone to hoist a 5-meter-diameter artificial moon above the Saint Sophia Cathedral and serving Harbin’s popular frozen pears sliced on a platter. Some joked that even Russian President Vladimir Putin had to use his own teeth to bite into a whole frozen pear during a past visit. To some Harbin locals, this new portrayal of “Erbin” feels almost unfamiliar, differing from the usual perception of rugged and carefree northerners. Example: A: 今年冬天國內最火的旅游目的地是哪里？ Jīnnián dōngtiān guónèi zuì huǒ de lǚyóu mùdìdì shì nǎlǐ？ What’s the hottest tourist destination in China this winter? B: 當然是爾濱。 Dāngrán shì ěrbīn。 Harbin, of course. | 