The Urban Representation of Harbin by Takeuchi Masakazu: Centered on Guillemin apartment sketch and Majiagou

Abstract

After the founding of Manchukuo in 1932, Japanese colonialists took control of Harbin, an international city in Northeast China, and used it as a “foothold for north-aggression.” In this context, the structure of power and capital in Harbin changed, and the division of urban space and society was further intensified. Japanese writer Takeuchi Masakazu created a series of works such as “Guillemin apartment sketch” and “Majiagou,” describing the changes of the urban representation of Harbin. These works also touched the ethnic and class antagonism and the discrimination against women hidden behind the changes.

Keywords

• Harbin
• Urban representation
• Colonialism
• Antagonism
• Disruption