W
hile ice sculptures may appear the epitome of
modern art, they have a long history dating all
the way back to 17th century China. ough
communities used ice functionally for creating shelters, 17th
century China was home to the first decorative ice creations.
In the small fishing village of Harbin, the capital of China's
northernmost province, Heilongjiang, fisherman froze
buckets of water, removed the ice, and carved holes in the
buckets into which they would place candles. e innovation
became a lantern, of sorts, and served as a guide for nighttime
fishing excursions.
e technique quickly spread, and before long, townspeople
began carving their own lanterns using a variety of techniques
and designs, and displaying them decoratively in their
homes. Citizens also began bringing their new ice creations
to parades and carnivals for public display. Towards the end
of the 19th century, when railroads emerged in Harbin, the
town began hosting an annual winter ice sculpture festival
which remains one of the most prominent ice sculpting
festivals in the world to this day.
At the 2019 Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture
Festival, the most talented ice sculptors from around the
world will gather to showcase their work amid an illuminated
city of ice. From Jan. 5, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2019, the town of
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