Ice lanterns were a winter-time tradition in northeast China during the Qing Dynasty as the area bears the brunt of the cold winter wind from Siberia with average temperatures as low as -16.8C. The local peasants and fishermen often made ice lanterns to use at night during the winter months and now every year for most of January huge ice blocks are carved into sculptures and buildings to create a glittering Ice and Snow World. As night falls, the gigantic sculptures are illuminated up in a spectrum of colours.
More on the Harbin International Ice and Snow Lantern festival by Somewhere in the world today…
Picture: Harbin Snow & Ice Festival by Trent Strohm on flickr