Harbin's winter wonderland takes shape with record use of ice and snow

As winter temperatures continue to drop, people in Northeast China are already looking forward to the upcoming ice and snow season.

Construction of the 27th Harbin Ice and Snow World, one of the most popular attractions in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, officially began on Tuesday morning as ice blocks stored for more than 10 months were transported to the park.

A total of 200,000 cubic meters of ice harvested last winter has been preserved throughout the year for the 27th edition of the park, ensuring that the area opens to tourists earlier than usual.

Because man-made ice often contains air bubbles and lacks the strength needed for carving, the blocks used in the park are taken from the frozen Songhua River.

Using a mix of traditional ice-storage methods and modern multilayer insulation, Harbin Ice and Snow World Co created conditions — low temperature, light avoidance, insulation and sealing — that kept the ice from melting even when temperatures exceeded 30 C in the peak of summer.

The first batch of blocks will be used to build the super ice slide and the main tower.