evidence: The first targets of extermination were the 64 Villages East of the River (Jiangdong Liushisitun 江东六十四屯) and Hailanpao 海兰泡 (Blagoveshchensk). These places were on the northside of the Sahaliyan Ula, and as such had been ceded to Russia in 1858. The Treaty of Aigun stipulated that the original inhabitants of the 64 Villages would retain their rights to live on this land in perpetuity, and its people would remain under Qing jurisdiction. The 64 Villages were traditionally inhabited by the Manchu, Solon and Daur, but had since gained a sizeable portion of Han Chinese settlers. By the time of the Russian invasion in 1900 the population had swelled to 35,000 people. Hailanpao counted 38,000 inhabitants, half of whom were subjects of the Qing Empire. These Qing Subjects were mainly labourers, merchants and farmers, keeping the economy of Hailanpao afloat. [...] - Heilongjiang Jiangdong Liushisitun Wenti Diaochazu 黑龙江江东六十四屯问题调查组. "Sha E bazhan Jiangdong Liushisitun de qianqian houhou, qishisan wei laoren fangwen" 沙俄霸占江东六十四屯的前前后后——七十三位老人访问记 [The prelude and consequences of the Tsarist Russian occupation of the 64 Villages East of the River, records of interviews with 73 seniors]. Xuexi yu tansuo 学习与探索, no. 01 (1979): 68-78.