Chinese ice sculptor in Harbin brings ice to life with exquisite designs

An ice sculptor in Harbin City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has devoted his life to carving beautiful designs out of giant blocks of ice in below-freezing temperatures.

Harbin is the birthplace of China's ice lantern art. The brilliant ice lantern and ice carving skills boasted by Harbin have been listed as part of Heilongjiang provincial intangible cultural heritage.

Among the inheritors of this art is Zhang Weixin, affectionately known as the master ice sculptor. Zhang, who grew up in the "Ice City", said watching ice lanterns was one of his best memories as a child and he got involved in ice sculpture when he was 15.

"The sculpture we are making now is about the goddess Chang'e flying to the Moon. We have carved the ice block into the design of a lady from ancient China who is accompanied by several rabbits, because this year marks the Year of the Rabbit. The whole figure of Chang'e is supported by her dress, ribbons and sleeves," said Zhang.

The rabbit is often portrayed as a companion of Chang'e who is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. Chang'e is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology. In modern times, Chang'e has been the namesake of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.

Creating a spectacular ice sculpture requires great skill and a fine balance of skillfulness and being delicate since ice is brittle, Zhang explained.

"The tool I use has five teeth. If I cut the ice too hard, it may loosen some parts and the whole ice block may fall into pieces," said Zhang.

Zhang believes every ice sculptor should have a deep understanding of the figure being made to create amazing ice sculpture works.

"The most difficult part of ice sculpture is your understanding of shape or figure. Only if the shape or figure is accurate, can you successfully make an ice sculpture," said Zhang.

The designs have a short lifespan as sculptures last for less than three months in winter. So, Zhang is moving to create even better designs for long-lasting impressions.

"I hope every ice sculpture can be more glorious and gorgeous during its existence so that more people can see its beauty. I also hope my students can bring ice sculpture to a new level," said Zhang.