[Comic] Eat the fruit of your actions in northeast China [Eye on Dongbei series]

The television drama The Long Season has brought renewed attention to northeast China, or Dongbei. This surge isn’t by chance but the result of persistent efforts. While Dongbei is often associated with cotton-padded jackets, heavy industry and bleak winters, its rich cultural diversity and historical significance are frequently overlooked. As the birthplace of the Qing dynasty, Dongbei holds Manchu culture and a complex colonial past. The industrialisation and modernisation of “new China” have also given it a unique identity and mission. Dongbei differs from the perceived “traditional Chinese heritage”. Each space reveals a profound interplay between human emotions and the environment, sparking deep reflections on realism and romanticism. Cultural confidence, it becomes clear, is not merely superficial scenes from short videos but a deep, enduring strength shaped by years and destiny. — Bai Yi, a Dongbei native