Harbin Ice-Festival(708 views)

Release date:2010-02-21 17:33:57

There is no doubt that the North-Eastern city of Harbin is one of China's off-the-Beeton track must-see destinations, and perhaps the best reason for doing so is the city's annual Ice Festival, at which some truly magnificent ice sculptures are displayed to a global audience waiting with baited (and frozen) breath. There is no getting away from the fact that Harbin's climate is arctic, and temperatures can drop as low as around -40 degrees Centigrade, which is utterly indescribable to those that have never experienced it. Cold does not even begin to describe it. Unless you are properly fed and dressed for the climate, you can die in minutes-so come prepared!

Harbin, also known as 'the ice city', is famed throughout China for its unique ice sculptures, and now also has global recognition for this singular event. To those willing and able to brave the arctic chill, the ice lantern festival-which is an integral part of the whole event-is unmissable, and may leave with the impression that it is the highlight of the whole ice festival itself. Ice lanterns are a unique part of north-eastern Chinese tradition, and have long been a mainstay of winters there. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), local workmen and fisherman would frequently make ice lanterns so that they could use them as jack-lights during the icy and long, dark winter months. Since then, the people of the region made ice lanterns and placed them outside their homes and also gave them to young children to play with at traditional festival times. Today's lantern includes a wide array of ice artworks, and includes multi-coloured lights and music.

The site of the Snow Sculpture Expo is Sun Island Park, and it is an essential visit, featuring as it does the world's biggest indoor ice art museum. The museum itself is open to the general public from November annually. Harbin Ice and Snow World is also a must-see place during the ice festival, as it is one of the largest ice sculpture parks in the world. The Park opened in 1999, and the sculptures here are inspired mainly by traditional Chinese fairy tales, and this lends the whole Park a mystical winter ambience to combine wonderfully with the overall atmosphere of the Festival. Visitors can also enjoy some of the globes most famous architectural marvels sculpted in ice, such as the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and the Great Wall of China. Perhaps the very best place to view ice lanterns in Zhaolin Park, as it features a wide array of lanterns, along with water and lights. It is also a rare treat to get a glimpse of ancient north-eastern Chinese culture when you see the ice lamps being sculpted from scratch. Witness the freezing water from the Songhua River poured into buckets, frozen and then crafted and decorated into some of the most awe-inspiring ice shapes imaginable. At night, the lanterns are lit with candles, which evoke a wonderful, shimmering glow, reminiscent of a Qing Dynasty scene. Night time at the ice festival is simply magical, and children will gain much more from the scenes culturally than they could ever get from Disneyland (assuming they ever forgive you for the freezing cold!)

It is no wonder that the ice city of Harbin and its ice festival have become essential viewing for those brave and fortunate enough to venture to north-eastern China. So, take a deep breath, wrap up warm and prepare to be dazzled by the red-hot sights of this magical sub-zero icescape.

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