Winter winds have swept through the northern reaches of China, but the Harbin Ice-cutting Festival is heating up tourists’ enthusiasm for travelling.
In the presence of a biting wind, fur-clad workers wielded steel chisels in tackling the frozen surface of the Songhua River, producing a large crystalline chunk of ice to the cheers of spectators in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. The ice chunk, dubbed the “first ice” of this year, was harvested amid the rhythmic chants of workers, signalling the start of Harbin’s annual ice-cutting season on the Songhua River.
This year, this iconic ice-cutting festival in Harbin, one of China’s most popular ice-and-snow tourism destinations, attracted thousands of tourists from home and abroad on this bitterly cold on Dec. 7.
“Reunion” in the “Ice City”
Harbin, often called the “Ice City,” has gained widespread fame for its abundant ice and snow resources and lively winter tourism scene. Last year, Harbin became a viral sensation on Chinese social media, earning top spot on many travelers’ winter wish lists. This year, the city has started preparing early for another surge in winter tourism.
“I’m really impressed by thunderous drums, ceremonial liquor, and showy red silk ribbons at the kick-off ceremony. It’s so lively! I’ve never seen such an interesting northern folk tradition,” said Qiu Mengqi, a Gen Z tourist from east China’s Anhui Province. Her eyes wide with wonder as she continuously snapped photos and recorded videos.
Even before leaving the ice-cutting site, many tourists like Qiu, still immersed in the festive atmosphere, were eagerly anticipating their “reunion” with the ice chunks.
Within several days, the ice chunks Wang and his co-workers collected will be transformed into spectacular sculptures to be displayed at the nearby edition of Harbin Ice-Snow World, which is set to open in mid-December.
As one of China’s most iconic winter theme parks, Harbin Ice-Snow World attracted over 2.7 million visitors with its stunning ice sculptures and winter-themed attractions in 2023.
According to sources with Harbin Ice-Snow World, the park will expand from 810,000 square meters to a massive 1 million square meters this year. The amount of ice and snow used will also increase to 300,000 cubic meters, further enhancing the scale and grandeur of this event. What’s more, a series of activities, including an ice harvesting festival, a new fantasy show, outdoor performances, ice carving competitions and other ice and snow events will be held during the winter.
Development of Snow and Ice Economy
China has issued a plan on Dec. 5 to promote high-quality development of the snow and ice economy in Northeast China to help with revitalization.
The plan would encourage cooperation between the northeastern and eastern regions and actively seek tourists to enjoy the ice and snow.
The plan also aims to attract foreign tourists by boosting the 72-hour visa-free transit policy in Harbin to 144 hours.
Since the ski season opened at Beidahu Ski Resort in Jilin City, Jilin province, all 75 ski resorts of various sizes in the province have begun winter operations.
Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City is not only bustling during the day but also increasingly popular for night skiing. It is attracting more young people and office workers to participate.
So far, pre-opening revenue for the snow season reached 80 million yuan, a 47 per cent increase over the same period last year.
As the media reported, in the warmer southern zones of China, indoor ice and snow venues are attracting lots of visitors, especially young people.
For example, in recent years, Guizhou province has actively seized the opportunity to develop ice and snow sports. Yushe Snow Mountain Ski Resort in Liupanshui now has a primary ski track, an intermediate track and one advanced track. It is the lowest latitude ski resort in the country and the first alpine ski resort in Guizhou.
Tourists can also experience various interesting skiing items, such as double boards, snowboards, snowmobiles, snow boats and a cable car.
Written by Yetao Gu, additional reporting by Xinhua and China Daily.
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