LINE

Text:AAAPrint
Society

Cutting ice for a festival of sculpture

1
2016-12-14 13:15China Daily Editor: Feng Shuang ECNS App Download
A block of ice, measuring 1.6 meters by 800 cm and weighing about 700 kg, requires two ice collectors to pull it out of the water. (Photo By Zhang Qingyun / For China Daily)

A block of ice, measuring 1.6 meters by 800 cm and weighing about 700 kg, requires two ice collectors to pull it out of the water. (Photo By Zhang Qingyun / For China Daily)

Farmers brave sub-zero temperatures on frozen Songhua River for 20 days to supply winter gala with raw materials

Every winter, an avalanche of visitors from home and abroad descends on the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province to join the country's biggest winter gala - the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.

Up to 180,000 cubic meters of ice is expected to be used at the event, which features striking ice and snow sculptures.

As man-made ice often contains air bubbles and is not strong enough to carve, ice for the festival is sourced from the Songhua River running through the city.

Two collectors use an electric saw to cut the ice into blocks on the frozen Songhua River. (Photo By Zhang Qingyun / For China Daily)
Two collectors use an electric saw to cut the ice into blocks on the frozen Songhua River. (Photo By Zhang Qingyun / For China Daily)

More than 50 workers toil for almost three weeks each year to collect enough ice for the sculptors to work with. "The work is very strenuous and you soon get warm," said Zhao Guo, 38, one of the ice collectors.

Harbin in early December is bitterly cold, with temperatures as low as -30 C. Yet Zhao wears only a thin padded jacket while he is working with the ice. He uses an electric saw to cut the ice into blocks measuring 1.6 meters by 800 cm, before employing a chisel to separate the blocks from each other.

  

Related news

MorePhoto

Most popular in 24h

MoreTop news

MoreVideo

News
Politics
Business
Society
Culture
Military
Sci-tech
Entertainment
Sports
Odd
Features
Biz
Economy
Travel
Travel News
Travel Types
Events
Food
Hotel
Bar & Club
Architecture
Gallery
Photo
CNS Photo
Video
Video
Learning Chinese
Learn About China
Social Chinese
Business Chinese
Buzz Words
Bilingual
Resources
ECNS Wire
Special Coverage
Infographics
Voices
LINE
Back to top Links | About Us | Jobs | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
Copyright ©1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.