With temperature extremes that reach negative forty degrees Celsius, and normal average temperatures that stay below zero for half of the year, Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province of China, is the perfect place to hold the most spectacular ice and snow festival. Bringing in artist from all over the world the annual Harbin Ice festival is one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals, along with Japan's Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada's Quebec City Winter Carnival, and Norway's Ski Festival. It includes some of the most incredible ice carvings, sculptures, and structures that illuminate with color each evening for an entire month.

The festival first dates back to 1963, but the tradition of the Ice lanterns started during the Qing Dynasty, between the years of 1644 and 1911.

The Derivation Of The Ice Lantern

Photo by gadgetdan

The first Ice lanterns were a winter-time tradition in northeast China during the Qing Dynasty（1644 - 1911), the local peasants and fishermen often made and used ice lanterns as jack lights during the winter months. At that time these were made simply by pouring water into a bucket that was then put out in the open to freeze. It was then gently warmed before the water froze completely so that the bucket-shaped ice could be pulled out. A hole was chiseled in the top and the water remaining inside poured out creating a hollow vessel. A candle was then placed inside resulting in a windproof lantern that gained great popularity in the region around Harbin.

Photo by ianwhitfield

From then on, people made ice lanterns and put them outside their houses or gave them to children to play with during some of the traditional festivals. Thus the ice lantern began its long history of development. With novel changes and immense advancement in techniques, today we can marvel at the various delicate and artistic ice lanterns on display.

Today's Ice Lantern

Photo by rob_in_china

For the Harbin Ice Festival, the ice lanterns are created using ice and snow as raw material and the festival combines ice artworks with colored lights and splendid music. The artworks include ice and snow sculptures, ice flowers, ice architecture and so on.

Photo by gadgetdan

Each year, visitors to the Harbin Ice Festival are treated to a whole new world of ice and snow. The best collections of ice artworks are exhibited in three main places: the Sun Island Park, Harbin Ice and Snow World, and Zhaolin Park.
- China Travel Guide

More Photos From The Harbin Ice Festival

Photo by gadgetdan

Photo by gadgetdan

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by ianwhitfield

Photo by vitafluida

Photo by kevsunblush

Photo by trentstrohm

Photo by trentstrohm

Photo by trentstrohm

Photo by trentstrohm

Photo by ianwhitfield

Title photo by ianwhitfield