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Beautiful Sculptures in Snowy Harbin

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Many of us built snowmen in our backyards when we were kids, but there are some who’ve taken the art of sculpting snow to a professional level. Around the world, there are festivals dedicated to this incredible art, and the annual extravaganza in Harbin, China is one of the grandest. In seasonal spirit, we present here 20 of the most stunning – and gigantic – snow sculptures seen in the Chinese city. Enjoy!

Written by: Simone Preuss


Read more at 20 Incredible Images from China?s Giant Snow Sculpture Festival

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The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, as it’s officially known, is held each year in the city that gives it its name, in Northeast China. Because of its geographical location – close to the Russian border – snow and ice is something that is plentiful in the city. In the direct path of freezing cold winds from Siberia, the average temperature in Harbin is -16.8 degrees Celsius (1.76 °F) in winter, though it can drop as low as -38.1 degrees Celsius (-36.58 °F). Brrr!


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In view of such temperatures, it’s surely good for the dozens of artists who create the snow sculptures in Harbin each year to keep warm with all the shoveling, sawing and chiseling their work demands. They still have to wrap up warm, though!

Interestingly, the winter school vacations in Harbin last nearly two months but the summer vacation only one month. Although snow sculptors come from all over the world to participate in the festival, with time on their hands (and lots of the material they need readily available!), the next generation of local talent must surely find some time to sharpen their skills each winter break.


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This sculpture, entitled “Game,” was a competition entry in Harbin Snow Festival 2007. It’s wonderfully conceived, and the characters depicted left visitors marveling and smiling in equal measure as they walked around it

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“Frostwork” was another 2007 competition entry. It displayed a high level of craftsmanship, as the woman’s face was hollowed out. Close-ups of this sculpture (like that shown earlier) even reveal it glowing as the sun shines through!
 
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