Editing Harbin (section)

===Winter culture===
[[File:Tower at Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2012.jpg|thumb|Tower at Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, 2013]]
Located in northern Northeast China, Harbin is the northernmost among major cities in China. Under the direct influence of the [[Siberian Anticyclone]], the average daily temperature is {{convert|−19.7|C|F}} in winter. Annual low temperatures below {{convert|−25.0|C|F}} are not uncommon. Nicknamed "Ice City" due to its freezingly cold winter, Harbin is decorated by various styles of Ice and snow Sculptures from December to March every year.<ref name="BBCsculpturemelting"/>

[[File:2011 Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture EXPO 01.JPG|thumb|Snow Sculpture in Sun Island, 2011]]
The annual [[Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival]] has been held since 1985. Although the official start date is 5 January each year, in practice, many of the sculptures can be seen before. While there are ice sculptures throughout the city, there are two main exhibition areas: enormous snow sculptures at Sun Island (Taiyang Dao, a [[Tourist Attraction Rating Categories of China|AAAAA-rated]] recreational area on the opposite side of the Songhua River from the city) and the separate "Ice and Snow World" that operates each night with lights switched on, illuminating the sculptures from both inside and outside. Ice and Snow World features illuminated full-size buildings made from blocks of 2–3 feet thick crystal clear ice directly taken from the Songhua River, which passes through the city. The sculptures inside the exhibition ground takes 15,000 workers to work for 16 days. In early December, ice artisans cut 120,000 cubic metres (4.2&nbsp;million cubic feet) of ice blocks from Songhua river's frozen surface as raw materials for the ice sculptures' show.<ref name="Iceismoney"/> Massive ice buildings, large-scale snow sculptures, ice slides, festival food and drinks can also be found in several parks and major avenues in the city. Winter activities in the festival include [[Yabuli Ski Resort|Yabuli]] Alpine [[Skiing]], snow mobile driving, winter-swimming in [[Songhua River]], and the traditional ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden, which was first held in 1963.<ref name="Ice Lantern Exhibition">
{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023165258827.htm
 |title       = Ice Lantern Exhibition
 |publisher   = China National Tourist Office
 |access-date  = 23 October 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102145937/http://www.cnto.org.uk/harbin/2007_10_23_16/20071023165258827.htm
 |archive-date = 2 November 2007
}}</ref> Snow carving and ice and snow recreations are famous nationwide, especially among Asian countries including Korea, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.<ref name="Iceismoney">
{{cite web
  |url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ice-is-money-in-chinas-coldest-city-20081113-62yj.html
  |title=Ice is money in China's coldest city
  |publisher=www.smh.com.au
  |date=13 November 2008
  |access-date=22 April 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002152548/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ice-is-money-in-chinas-coldest-city-20081113-62yj.html
  |archive-date=2 October 2009
  |url-status=live
  }}
</ref>

The "Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival" is one of the four largest ice and snow festivals in the world, along with Japan's [[Sapporo Snow Festival]], Canada's [[Quebec City Winter Carnival]], and Norway's [[Holmenkollen Ski Festival]].<ref name="hktdc.com HarbinInfo"/>

Every November, the city of Harbin sends teams of ice artisans to the United States to promote their unique art form. It takes more than 100 artisans to create ICE!, the annual display of indoor Christmas-themed ice carvings in National Harbor, Maryland; Nashville, Tennessee; [http://www.gaylordpalms.com/ice Kissimmee, Florida]; and Grapevine, Texas.