Pingfang

Pingfang is a district within the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China. It is located in the southern part of Harbin. Historically, Pingfang gained notoriety for being the site of Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army. During World War II, Unit 731 conducted horrific human experimentation on prisoners, primarily Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Mongolian civilians and prisoners of war.

Following the war, the site was largely abandoned by the Japanese. In the post-war period, the Chinese government established a memorial and museum on the grounds of the former Unit 731 base. This museum, known as the Museum of the Former Japanese Army Unit 731, serves to document the atrocities committed there and is a significant historical site. The district itself has since developed into a more general urban and industrial area of Harbin, though its association with Unit 731 remains a prominent aspect of its history. It is a place of historical reflection and a reminder of past wartime conduct.