The 31st International Ice and Snow Festival officially kicked off in the Chinese city of Harbain on Monday, January 5. The main venue, Ice and Snow World, featured castles and famous buildings ...

Another figure involved in the event this year is Chinese artist Ai Weiwei ... but has designed an ice sculpture symbolising this year’s Spotlight theme, Hope; the artwork will be presented during the ...

The sculptures, some a few-storeys-high, featured Chinese-style buildings and bridges, fairytale castles, towers and one fashioned after Beijing’s Temple of Heaven. Several ice slides were built ...

The ice sculpture festival is a major tourist draw for the ... include famous architecture and figures from Western and Chinese mythology, carvers prefer to keep things simple for maximum effect ...