Staying Warm in Harbin
Friday, 2026/01/09192 words3 minutes1185 reads
Harbin, located in northeast China, is renowned for its extremely cold winters, with temperatures often plummeting to -30°C. As the largest city in the world experiencing such consistent cold, Harbin has developed unique methods for keeping warm.
One traditional method is the kang, a heated platform-bed made of earth bricks that has been used for at least 2,000 years. The kang is connected to the family stove in the kitchen. When the stove is lit for cooking, hot air circulates through passages beneath the kang, warming its entire mass.
Unlike central heating, which warms the air in every room, the kang only heats the bed surface. People stay warm by lying or sitting on the platform with thick blankets. This method is remarkably efficient, as it doesn't waste energy heating empty rooms.
Similar approaches exist in other East Asian countries. Korea has the ondol system, which channels warm air beneath thick floors, while Japan developed the kotatsu, a low table with a heater underneath and covered by a heavy blanket to keep legs warm.
These traditional methods demonstrate that comfort doesn't always require consuming more energy, but rather designing warmth more intelligently.
