In China, most holidays are celebrated with festivals and theatrical performances. On New Year's Eve, people and snow sculptures are built in this country. Multi-colored illumination makes the works lively and colorful. The festive atmosphere is created with the help of solemn music and fireworks. Here's what it looks like:

The Snow and Ice Festival became a regular event 30 years ago. It takes place in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province. The craftsmen who live in this city are able to build very elaborate sculptures, consisting of many small parts. The holiday lasts from January 5 to February 5. It is one of the biggest festivals in the country and attracts many tourists. As part of the entertainment, sports competitions, figure skating shows and traditional winter games are held. The average temperature at this time in the province reaches -16 °C.

For the first time, such holidays began to be celebrated in the country in the 17th century. At this time, only lanterns were cut out of the ice. Local fishermen used such lanterns when they went fishing. Thus they saved on lamps. This decision was also environmentally friendly. The lamp sunk in the sea melted and did not spoil the water with waste. To make an ice lamp, water was poured into a bucket. When it began to freeze, not completely frozen piece of ice was taken out. The ice was shaped like a bucket, but had a hollow hole in the middle. A candle was placed there. A lantern of this shape was protected from wind blowing, so it could be used for several hours without fear that the candle would go out. Lamps gained popularity in Harbin. Later they began to be used for interior decoration and for children's winter games.

Snow sculptures are being built in Sunny Island Park. Snow falls already in November, and from that time young sculptors start training in the park. Usually, images are made based on national myths, slides for skiing and palaces that you can go into. Popular themes of travel and attractions in other countries: Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, pyramids. Here is how St. Basil's Cathedral looks like according to the Chinese:

In winter, you can’t leave your own yard because everything is covered with snow? This problem will be solved by a snow blower, which you can purchase in Gardengeer. Large selection, high quality, affordable prices.

On January 5, 2015, the 31st International Ice and Snow Festival opened in the Chinese city of Harbin. Here you can see amazing giant sculptures and have a lot of fun!

The city of Harbin scares many away, and such an attitude towards it is quite understandable. After all, it is located in the northern part of China, which is deservedly considered the coldest territory in Asia. Of course, he is far from many truly cold cities in Russia. However, heat-loving tourists are not always ready to go here.

But this does not prevent the International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin from 1963 - the most beautiful winter celebration.

Harbin City - China's Northern Jewel

Despite the fact that the city is Chinese, the trends of St. Petersburg and the Mother See are clearly visible in its planning and architectural compositions. After all, it was founded by the Chinese and Russians during the laying of the rails of the Chinese railway. Harbin became the central city of Heilongjiang province. No wonder the Chinese themselves refer to it as the "Northern Jewel".

Fairs and exhibitions of international format are organized in Harbin, which attract tourists. In summer it is full of greenery, but in winter it is completely transformed. It hosts not only the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, but also skating, skiing, sledding, luge, etc.

Preparations for the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

Preparations for the festival started on December 10. That is, the organizers had almost a month to create a snow and ice exposition here.

Opening of the festival

Despite the fact that the opening was scheduled for January 5, the festivities began much earlier - from December 24. At Christmas, various competitions were held here, and the final fireworks, as always, amazed the visitors. The festival will continue until February 28.

Snow and ice sculptures

Now the most famous snow sculptors have gathered in Harbin, who create phenomenal statues and sculptures from white snow for visitors. But there are about 10,000 such sculptors! The cold also favors this, since the temperature in Harbin sometimes drops to -30 ° C, which keeps the sculptures intact for a long time.

Special snow and ice for the festival

Snow is not a problem, since at this time there is a lot of it in the northern regions of China. As for ice, it is delivered exclusively from Sungari - a mountain lake. December ice is especially appreciated by sculptors, because it is not only transparent, but also very thick, which allows you to cut out blocks of any parameters, for which various devices are used.

Sculptures from frozen demineralized water

In addition, special figures are cast from the brought demineralized water. Their feature is a unique transparency, not inferior to glass. A special lighting makes the spectacle in the evening even more luxurious. There is a feeling of being in a fairy-tale world.

15 days to create a masterpiece

After that, the actual creation of the figures begins. Sculptors work almost around the clock in order to complete the decoration of the holiday on time - only 15 days are allotted for this. They use chisels, cranes and lasers. But the main component is the skill of the workers.

Sculptors create not only ice busts of famous personalities, but also sculptures of animals and even legendary creatures that look like they are alive. Huge palaces, bridges, skyscrapers and other masterpieces of architecture are also cut out.

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Records

Fantastic snow and ice sculptures in Harbin have been repeatedly entered into the Guinness Book of Records, as they amazed even worldly-wise experts with their magnificence. But in memory there will always be a huge figure, made of 2 parts and depicting "Crossing the Bering Strait", as well as "Niagara Falls". Its length reached 250 meters, with a height of 9 meters. And in total, a lock of 13,000 m³ of snow went into its construction.

The scale and theme of the snow festival in Harbin

They really amaze. After all, the total area of ​​such an exposition, where about 2,000 sculptures are created annually by craftsmen, is 500,000 m². In addition, the entire zone is divided into several thematic sectors. As for the theme of the festival, it changes every year. And only the imagination of their authors is responsible for the sculptures. For example, Harbin has already witnessed the snowy Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and even the famous Colosseum.

Ticket prices

Naturally, the expositions are paid, and payment is made at the box office. The cost of tickets can be found in the section of the official website of the festival, and it varies depending on the exposition.

Ice and Snow World

For example, an exhibit called "Ice and Snow World" is priced at CNY 330.

Sun Island Scenic Area

As for the Sunny Island - the exposition of the Sun Island Scenic Area - hotels from ice blocks will be built on it, many ice bars will be equipped, and a huge, 240-meter ice slide will also be created. Also on the island will be an exhibition of figures made of snow, which will be organized in 2015.

It is noteworthy that here you can even combine yourself with family ties, because on the territory of the island there is a “winter wedding department”. A solemn wedding ceremony is also possible, which usually takes place here, where about 30 couples take part.

The entrance fee to the Sun Island Scenic Area is approximately CNY 240, and it is open from 9.00 to 21.00.

Ice Lantern Garden

This object is located on the territory of Zhaolin Park - a garden of ice lanterns. For a sum of CNY 200, you can see an amazing spectacle when ice lanterns and figures are illuminated by lasers and LEDs.

Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley

This park traditionally organizes winter entertainment - safaris and fishing, which take place on the banks of the river. Songhua. The price tag is CNY 100.

Both Chinese and Russian culinary specialists prepare traditional dishes of their cuisine, which can be tasted at the festival. These delicacies are sold in restaurants and bars, also built from ice.

The most exciting action is the collective and public destruction of the exposition

But the most interesting action begins on the last day. After all, then there is the destruction of this fascinating city. Moreover, there are no restrictions - anyone can participate in this organized vandalism. All of them are armed with ice axes, with which they crush elegant works of art.

So, you have until February 28 to visit the International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin.

This trip will not disappoint you - rest assured!

Well, for a very long time I wanted to go to Harbin in winter - mainly to look at the International Ice Festival, about which I heard so much and saw pictures. And now it has grown together: this winter, the next festival and - I'm in Harbin, as ordered.

The festival has been held here since the late 90s (I read somewhere that, they say, even from the 60s, 80s, but the Chinese themselves call the 90s) This year, the area of ​​​​the main Ice Town occupied the largest territory in all years of holding - approximately 0.6 sq. km

Moreover, snow and ice sculptures are scattered everywhere: on 32 streets and 56 city points.

But the biggest spectacle is on Sunny Island: here, as it were, an independent festival in the general ice festival in Harbin.

Ice for construction are cut from the Songhua River in large slabs, which are then cut into "bricks".

Some structures are so high that construction cranes have to be used.

They say that last year the tallest building reached 46 meters.

In any case, the work is painstaking, creative and very expensive.

This is probably why the cost of entrance tickets is not cheap - 300 yuan from the nose to the ice city and 240 - to the snowy one.

On weekends, another 30 yuan is thrown on top.

However, for the Chinese it is quite tolerable - after all, the yuan has grown for us.

There are plenty of them here - with families, friends, and visiting tourist groups.

During the season (and it lasts from January 5 until about the end of February, depending on the weather), up to a million people pass through this town - I hope the buildings pay for themselves.

However, not only Chinese sculptors build"for the entourage" - masters from many countries of the world compete here.

This year there are more than 100 participants from 15 countries, including Russia.

And then, when it comes to spring, it starts to warm up and the buildings are already thawing, all the beauty is being demolished until the next time.

Moreover, everyone is attracted to the demolition - that's what I understand, itch your shoulder, swing your arm ...

However, until spring it was far away, and there was some kind of utter cold - instead of two allocated hours for a walk, we barely finished 40 minutes.

In conclusion, I dreamed in all seriousness: they say, everything is wonderful - it’s a pity that the Ice Festival does not take place in the summer.

PS. Colleagues, I decided to add two years later on the subject of "how to get there."

After much deliberation, we decided to get there not quite on our own, but “bribed” a local Chinese guide with a car, who turned up at our arm just in time.

And they did the right thing: it’s far enough to go to Sunny Island, and in winter it’s also problematic to go back - insane cold and complete chaos of thousands of people and cars, in which it’s almost impossible to catch a taxi.

If anything - "our" Chinese will help you.

When we jumped out of this ice town, chattering our teeth, I no longer regretted hiring Valera - his car was waiting in the right place.

The coldest place in China, and, probably, throughout Asia, is its northern part. But the skilled Chinese were able to find their pluses in this. For those who are not afraid of cold and severe frost, we suggest going to Harbin.

For the past five decades (since 1963) there has been a unique winter holiday - the International Snow and Ice Festival.

"Northern Jewel" of China

Harbin- a city that is the capital of Heilongjiang Province. Since the time of the construction of the Chinese railway, it was laid down by the Russians together with the Chinese. Therefore, urban architecture is somewhat reminiscent of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Harbin often hosts international exhibitions and fairs, it is always full of tourists. The Chinese themselves like to call Harbin "Northern Jewel". The city is used to delight all residents and visitors with an abundance of flowers and greenery in the summer.

But in winter it becomes the heart of the snow and ice culture: all kinds of competitions are held here every year, for example, skiing and skating, dog and horse sledding, sailing and winter swimming, and, of course, International Snow and Ice Festival - "Harbin Ice and Snow Festival".

Snow and Ice Festival

Preparing for 31st International Snow and Ice Festival "Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2015" will start on December 10th. Well, everything should be over by the end of the month, and in the first days of January the official opening ceremony of the festival will take place.

Famous talented snow sculptors from all over the world (and there are about 10 thousand of them) come to Harbin and sculpt their creations from ice and snow so that thousands of tourists can look at their masterpieces.

Opening of the festival

The festival officially starts January 5, 2015 at 19-30 pm and will last until February 28. But, recently it began to open already by Christmas, i.e. from December 24. During the opening ceremony, various concerts and competitions are held, and the opening of the holiday ends with an enchanting action - a chic salute (you probably already imagine the scale of fireworks in China)

In the north of the country, in Harbin, the temperature during the winter months often drops to -30 * C, which allows snow and ice sculptures to remain in their shape for a long time.

Construction of sculptures

With snow, it’s understandable - there is a lot of it in the north of China. But the ice for creating sculptures is delivered from a special place - ice is brought from the mountain lake Songhua.

In December, it has a large thickness, besides it is crystal clear. It is cut with special devices into blocks of appropriate sizes and delivered to the "ice" sculptors.

So are they use demineralized water to create their sculptures, which first "turns" into ice, and then into glass-transparent masterpieces. The beauty of these sculptures of snow and ice gives special lighting. This fabulous-crystal splendor looks especially beautiful in the evening.

Ice and snow masterpieces

Here you can see fabulous palaces and pagodas of incredible size, fantastic skyscrapers, bridges and world-famous wonders of architecture. Majestic monuments and busts of famous and not only famous people rise everywhere, sculptures of mythical creatures and animals that amaze with their accuracy and similarity.

This festival has repeatedly conquered with its monumentality. Many of the snow sculptures have been listed in the Guinness Book of Records. So, the largest sculpture was recognized "Niagara Falls" and "Crossing the Bering Strait". The two parts of this incredible sculpture were 250 meters long, 9 meters high, and more than 13,000 cubic meters of snow were used to create them!

The festival created such architectural masterpieces as Great Wall of China, Roman Colosseum and Forbidden City. The theme of the festival changes every year. Well, the sculptures created by the festival themselves are a flight of restless imagination of snow and ice sculptors.

Festival theme parks

Average per festival build up to 2 thousand figures. They will be placed in several theme parks. And the total area of ​​the exposition occupies more than 500 thousand square meters.

You can get to any of the expositions by paying a certain amount of money. Ticket prices can be found on the festival's official website. To the main exhibition "Ice and Snow World" the cost of the entrance ticket is CNY 330.

Sun Island Scenic Area to Host Snow Sculpture Exhibition Harbin Ice and Snow World 2015. On the territory of the island will be open ice hotels and work ice bars. And for lovers of extreme descent is being built ice slide 240 meters long.

Truth, entrance to the exhibition is usually paid - about CNY 240 and is open from 9 am to 9 pm. Works here "winter wedding department" where everyone can register their marriage. Usually, in Harbin during the days of the festival, a mass wedding ceremony is held, which is attended by up to 30 (sometimes more) married couples.

Gorgeous ice lantern garden Ice Lantern Garden will open its gates to zhaolin park. Each figure in this park is illuminated with LEDs and laser illumination. Entrance to the park these days is paid - CNY 200.

On the banks of the Songhua River various competitions will be held, such as winter fishing and winter safari. The latter usually takes place in Amur tiger park. entrance to the park "Songhua River Ice and Snow Happy Valley" - CNY 100.

In addition to all this, each visitor will be able to taste the national authentic dishes of northern China, as well as Russian cuisine, which are sold in special ice bars and restaurants.

On the last day of this fabulous festival, its creators allow everyone to take part in the destruction of snow and ice sculptures(with the help of special equipment - ice axes)

Where can I find information about this festival

If you decide to go to this spectacular winter snow and ice festival in Harbin, then you can on the official website of the festival book a hotel, transfer and a certain type of theme park tour, as well as ask any question you are interested in to the organizers of this winter holiday.

So, book your seats, pack your bags and go visit the Snow Queen of China, in this winter fairy tale of snow figures, which are illuminated in the evenings by thousands of multi-colored light bulbs, and the sky over Harbin lights up with amazing colorful fireworks.

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On January 5, 2016, the annual International Ice and Snow Festival began in Harbin, China. Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang Province, and is also one of the world's famous centers of ice and snow culture. Similar festivals have been held in Harbin since 1963. The current festival of ice and snow will last until the end of February.

Many foreign tourists can hardly be persuaded to go to Harbin, because it is located in the northern part of China - the coldest territory in Asia. But, since it is inferior to the truly cold cities of Russia, our compatriots visit this wonderful holiday with pleasure every year and admire the unusual sculptures made of ice and snow, made by hardworking craftsmen. This is facilitated by the fact that Harbin is located on the border area connecting Russia and China.

Craftsmen come to China from different parts, they have a lot of preparatory work to do: first, they prepare their own “building material”, extracting ice from the Songhua River to build an ice town. They take it out in huge cubes, weighing two hundred and fifty kilograms. Then, using modern laser and traditional tools and their talent, the ice is processed, turning a rough block into a real work of art. There are no problems with snow in northern Harbin, there is also plenty of ice in the mountain lake Songhua. Especially, sculptors appreciate the December ice for its thickness and crystal transparency. During the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, the weather is frosty, the air temperature varies from minus ten to minus twenty degrees - it's the perfect time and ideal conditions to create ice sculptures. And weather permitting, exhibits often open earlier and stay longer.

The sculptors work almost around the clock: they need to hurry, because they have two weeks to build the figures, and the scale of their ideas can be absolutely grandiose. Experienced ice carvers create incredible compositions and amazingly precise figures. Majestic palaces, gigantic skyscrapers, famous monuments, busts of great people grow before our eyes. The ice city in Harbin is especially good in the evening, when the buildings are illuminated by fantastic lighting built into the figures. Energetic music plays to create a fun atmosphere, as the ice artworks light up and change colors to the beat.

A visit to the festival in Harbin is not only admiring unusual ice compositions, but also a visit to the amusement park, which is open here for tourists with children. They can ride ice or snow slides, ride rides. In addition, here you can ride a dog sled and go to an unusual ice bar. Nearby are excellent ski slopes. A visit to the ski resort of Harbin is a favorite entertainment for Russians who came to the ice and snow festival in winter days.

Many ice figures of the Harbin festival were once included in the Guinness Book of Records. Very often, tourists stand looking at the snow creation and cannot say a word in surprise: they are shocked by the scale of the figure. And there really is something to be surprised: the total area of ​​​​the exposition is five hundred thousand square meters, on which the masters create about two thousand of their figures. The zone is divided into thematic sectors. By the way, the theme of the festival in Harbin changes every year. And the variety of figures made of ice and snow is guaranteed by the talent and imagination of the sculptors. In Harbin, historical world attractions such as the icy Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Colosseum often appear.

Viewing the exposition of the Harbin Festival is paid, you can buy a ticket at the box office, the ticket price may vary.

On the last day of the festival, the destruction of everything built begins, anyone can participate in this process: volunteers are given ice axes, with which they break ice works of art.

This ice and snow festival in Harbin is not the only one of its kind, such festivities are held in the Japanese city of Sapporo, Quebec, Alaska, Fairbanks and Norway during the ski festival.

Since the festival in Harbin will be held until the end of February, you can still have time to visit it. Dress warmly and go!