Harbin residents hold a smoked red sausage measuring 117 meters during the opening ceremony of the First Harbin Smoked Red Sausage Culture Festival in Harbin on Sept 10.[Photo/MY399.COM]

A culture festival themed on hong chang (smoked red sausage) is taking place in Harbin, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province from Sept 10 to 18.

Made with lean meat, Harbin smoked red sausage comes covered in a thin layer of charcoal dust, as a result of being smoked over wood.

Smoked red sausage, as a time-honored brand of Harbin cuisine, has a history dating back 117 years to 1900.

In the early 20th century, a businessman from the UK hired a Russian chef to make smoked red sausages for his company based in Harbin, creating the first smoked red sausages production and processing factory in Harbin. It resulted in Harbin becoming a center for European-style meat products and the hometown of smoked red sausages in China.

The culture festival invited 14 businesses involved in making smoked red sausages to display their products, giving local residents and tourists opportunities to taste and choose their favorite flavors during a nine-day event.

This year’s event highlights a smoked red sausage measuring 117 meters, marking the 117th anniversary of smoked red sausages first being made in Harbin.

“The volume of smoked red sausages sold online has now reached 10 metric tons per day,” said an exhibitor, in an interview with Harbin Daily.

“I hope similar activities will be held to promote Harbin’s smoked red sausage brand and benefit businesses,” the exhibitor added.

Harbin will not only make delicious smoked red sausages, but also promote the culture related to them to attract more tourists, said Gong Jianyi, director of the administration department of Qiulin area.