Churin and Qiulin
Churin and Qiulin is a historic Russian-origin retail and food-business group associated with Harbin department stores, Russian-style foods, and the Hongchang sausage tradition.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Churin and Qiulin is the name associated with one of Harbin's oldest commercial institutions and with a retail-and-food enterprise whose history spans the Russian Far East, the Chinese Eastern Railway corridor, and modern Northeast China. Its origins date to 1867, when Ivan Yakovlevich Churin, an entrepreneur from Irkutsk, opened a trading store in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur. In 1882 he and several business partners established Churin & Co. in Khabarovsk. The enterprise expanded into Harbin after the completion of the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1904, operating there under the Chinese name Qiulin Yanghang, commonly translated as Churin Foreign Trading Company. The Harbin department-store building associated with the business dates from that period and became a prominent commercial landmark. The company initially operated as a broad trading concern rather than only as a department-store retailer. It sold imported and locally available merchandise and later developed branches in other cities of the region, including Dalian, Mukden, Changchun, Siping, Jilin, Heihe, and Hailar. Political changes repeatedly altered its ownership and management. After the Russian Revolution, the headquarters moved to Harbin in 1923. The company came under the control of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in 1937 and was placed under Japanese management in 1941. Following the Second World War, it became Soviet-owned in 1947 and was transferred to Chinese state ownership in 1953. During the Cultural Revolution, the business was renamed The East Is Red Department Store. Its historic name was restored in 1984, as China entered a period of economic reform and commercial restructuring. The enterprise was registered on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996 and was acquired by Dalian's Dashang Group in the same year. The listed organization was later divided during privatization. Its retail operations and stock-market identity became Churin Group, while the food-processing and confectionery operations were separated into Qiulin Lidaosi in 2007. The split created two related but independent successors. Churin Group retained the department-store business and continued operating the historic Harbin store, as well as retail locations including one in Jilin. Its stores became particularly associated with Russian-influenced foods, notably dalieba bread and Hongchang sausage. Qiulin Lidaosi retained the food-manufacturing heritage and continued producing products connected with the Churin tradition. The relationship deteriorated after 2011, when Churin Group removed Qiulin Lidaosi products from its stores and established its own food-manufacturing operation. Churin Group began producing products such as Hongchang sausage and kvass, while Qiulin Lidaosi also broadened its range to include kvass and dalieba. The resulting dispute involved both products and branding. In 2020, a trademark application by Churin Group using the Chinese wording for Churin Group was rejected because of its similarity to Qiulin Lidaosi's Qiulin mark. At approximately the same time, Churin Group faced investigation related to management problems and continued losses. Its Shanghai Stock Exchange listing was terminated on March 26, 2021. The historic Churin and Qiulin identity therefore survives through a combination of retail landmarks, food brands, successor companies, and regional cultural associations rather than through one clearly unified modern corporate group.
History
The history of Churin and Qiulin begins in the Russian Far East in 1867. Ivan Yakovlevich Churin, born in Irkutsk, opened a trading store in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur. In 1882, he established Churin & Co. in Khabarovsk with several business partners. The company expanded along the commercial routes linking the Russian Far East with Manchuria and entered Harbin after the Chinese Eastern Railway was completed in 1904. Its Harbin operation used the Chinese name Qiulin Yanghang and occupied the department-store building that remains associated with the enterprise. The business broadened from general trading into a regional retail network. During the early twentieth century it developed branches in places including Dalian, Mukden, Changchun, Siping, Jilin, Heihe, and Hailar. In 1923, following the Russian Revolution, its headquarters moved to Harbin. Ownership and management changed again as the political environment shifted: Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation controlled the company from 1937, Japanese management took over in 1941, the Soviet Union owned it from 1947, and the business entered Chinese state ownership in 1953. The institution was renamed The East Is Red Department Store during the Cultural Revolution. The original name returned in 1984. In the reform era, the business became part of the restructuring of Chinese commercial enterprises. It was registered on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1996 and acquired by Dalian's Dashang Group during the same year. Privatization later divided the organization. In 2004, the retail activities and stock-market identity were separated into Churin Group. The food-processing and confectionery activities were subsequently privatized as Qiulin Lidaosi in 2007. This division separated the department-store business from the food manufacturing that had helped define the institution's local reputation. The two successors initially coexisted, but their relationship worsened in 2011. Churin Group expelled Qiulin Lidaosi products from its stores and established its own food factory, making Hongchang sausage and kvass. Qiulin Lidaosi responded by expanding its own production of kvass and dalieba bread. The conflict involved both commercial distribution and ownership of the Qiulin name. In 2020, Churin Group's application for a trademark incorporating the Chinese name for Churin Group was rejected because of similarity to Qiulin Lidaosi's Qiulin mark. Churin Group also experienced serious corporate difficulties. It came under investigation in connection with management problems and recorded continuing losses. The Shanghai Stock Exchange terminated its listing on March 26, 2021. The contemporary Churin and Qiulin legacy is consequently distributed among a historic Harbin department store, Churin Group's retail operations, Qiulin Lidaosi's food business, and iconic Northeast Chinese products such as dalieba bread and Hongchang sausage.
- 2021
Shanghai Stock Exchange ticker terminated
[1]Churin Group's stock-market listing was terminated on March 26 after continuing losses and an investigation related to management problems.
- 2011
Commercial conflict between successors intensified
[1]Churin Group removed Qiulin Lidaosi products from its stores and began producing competing traditional foods.
- 2007
Food business privatized as Qiulin Lidaosi
[1]The food-processing and confectionery business became the separate Qiulin Lidaosi company.
- 2004
Retail operations separated
[1]The retail part of the former state-owned enterprise was separated into Churin Group during privatization.
- 1996
Shanghai listing and Dashang acquisition
[1]Qiulin Group was registered on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and acquired by Dalian's Dashang Group during the same year.
- 1984
Historic name restored
[1]The name Churin was restored after the Cultural Revolution-era name The East Is Red Department Store.
- 1953
Transferred to Chinese state ownership
[1]After a period of Soviet ownership, the enterprise was returned to China and placed under state ownership.
- 1923
Headquarters moved to Harbin
[1]After the Russian Revolution, Churin moved its headquarters to Harbin.
- 1909
Hongchang sausage developed
[1]The enterprise is credited with introducing or developing Hongchang sausage, which became a staple of Harbin's Russian-influenced food culture.
- 1904
Expansion into Harbin
[1]Following completion of the Chinese Eastern Railway, Churin expanded into Harbin and established the operation associated with the historic department-store building.
Products and positioning
A historic Northeast Chinese retail and food identity shaped by Russian commercial heritage, Harbin's railway-era cosmopolitan culture, and regional department-store shopping. Its strongest consumer associations are the original Harbin store, Russian-style bread, and Hongchang sausage.
Processed meat · 1909
Hongchang sausage
Hongchang is a smoked or processed sausage associated with Harbin's Russian-influenced cuisine and the Churin commercial tradition. It is one of the best-known food products connected with the brand's history and became a signature item sold through the department-store business and related food operations. After the corporate split, both Churin Group and Qiulin Lidaosi were involved in competing food-business activities.
Bread and bakery
Dalieba
Dalieba is a large Russian-style bread strongly associated with Harbin and the former Churin department store. The bread represents the enterprise's connection to the city's Russian commercial and culinary heritage. It has been sold through Churin-related retail channels and remained part of the broader product tradition carried forward by the successor food business.
Fermented beverage · 2011
Kvass
Kvass is a traditional fermented beverage associated with Russian cuisine. After the 2011 split in commercial relationships, both Churin Group's food operation and Qiulin Lidaosi produced or expanded into kvass, making it one of the categories in which the two successor businesses competed.
Department-store retail · 1904
Churin department-store retail
The retail business is centered on the historic Harbin department store near the Museum of Heilongjiang Province station and has included a store in Jilin City. Its assortment combines general department-store merchandise with a prominent food department, particularly Russian-style bakery products, sausages, and other foods popular in Northeast China.
Controversies
2021
Management investigation and delisting
Churin Group came under investigation in connection with mismanagement and continued losses. Its Shanghai Stock Exchange ticker was terminated on March 26, 2021.
2020
Trademark dispute between Churin Group and Qiulin Lidaosi
A Churin Group trademark application using wording similar to its Chinese corporate name was rejected because of similarity to Qiulin Lidaosi's Qiulin trademark. The episode reflected the broader dispute between the retail and food-business successors over the shared commercial heritage.
Brand decisions
2021
End the Shanghai Stock Exchange listingOtherBackground
Churin Group faced an investigation related to management problems and continued losses.
Action taken
The Shanghai Stock Exchange terminated the company's listing on March 26, 2021.
Aftermath
The former listed corporate structure no longer had an active Shanghai Stock Exchange ticker.
2011
Create an in-house food operationStrategyBackground
Relations between Churin Group and Qiulin Lidaosi deteriorated after the corporate split.
Action taken
Churin Group removed Qiulin Lidaosi products from its stores and established Churin Food to produce products including Hongchang sausage and kvass.
Aftermath
Qiulin Lidaosi expanded its own production of kvass and dalieba, intensifying competition between the two successors.
- Qiulin Lidaosi — Expanded into kvass and dalieba production.
2004
Separate retail operations during privatizationStrategyBackground
The former state-owned Churin enterprise was reorganized as part of privatization.
Action taken
The retail business and associated stock-market identity were placed in Churin Group.
Aftermath
The food-processing and confectionery activities were later separated into Qiulin Lidaosi, creating two successor businesses.
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