Little red books (written by Lin Biao) and Mao pins are not all that you can find from an era in China that is just now being recognized by the official party line. It still falls squarely on the shoulders of the ‘gang of four,’ but you don’t have to look over your shoulder when speaking about ‘65 to 75’ ish. And old, and really dilapidated, Daowai is one of the few places that you can see real history still painted on the walls. On South 4th St. the renovations didn’t get rid of the “Chariman Mao Forever” slogans. Nor did they cover up the “Long Live the Communist Party” signs. Cross Jing Yu Street and you will see the walking towards the river and on North 4th St. on the left you will see what was originally the Bank of Communications. The pillars still have red paint with faint white characters which once held rallies by the Red Guard.

Harbin was a stronghold for the Communists during the civil war era. Lin Biao himself is credited with genius strategy helping to liberate the NE and consolidate power. And even one of Chairman Mao’s wives lived in Harbin after their divorce and his eventual marriage to one of the “gang of four.”