CRI听力:Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin Gets Underway

Harbin, located in northeast China, is the capital city of Hei Longjiang Province. With an average temperature of minus 25 Centigrade or minus 13 Fahrenheit in winter, it is known as the Ice City.

The International Snow Sculpture Competition is one of the earliest and main events of the Ice and Snow Festival. More than 80 competitors from 11 countries are participating in this year's event. Ice sculptor Lin Hai explains his creation.

"The idea is a combination of the Chinese bronze and the mask of the western world. We want to show happiness, anger, grief and joy which are the four major feelings of human beings, but our final purpose is to show our happiness."

Instead of staying warm inside, competitors choose to come out in the cold weather and create. This year's competitors have come from all walks of life - painters, decoration artists and even engineers.

Liman Metoll is a student from Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

"Ah yes it's brilliant! You've got to love it out here! Yes it is cold but you know you keep warm and stay warm, we've got good clothes. If we get cold we go inside, there's a place we can get inside and have some hot drinks. It's good. You just gotta eat a lot, make sure everything is covered. Just don't get frostbite, that's the important thing."

Apart from the competition, the Ice and Snow World provides a place for tourists and competitors to relax and have fun.

Central Avenue, built in 1898, is Harbin's most popular shopping and tourist area. Along the street, delicate ice and snow sculptures add a perfect touch to exotic buildings.

This year's most popular snow sculpture is of the Korean pop singer Psy. He is seen recreating the dance from his viral music video-"Gangnam Style."

Tourists are competing to have a photo with snow Psy and do the Gangnam Style dance in front of the sculpture. Here is visitor He Pen.

"I think it looks very funny and vivid. It adds a happy atmosphere to this extreme cold weather. I like it."

The main exhibition is located at the Ice and Snow theme park by the Songhuajiang River and covers 75,000 square meters.

Wang Zengyu, executive manager of Ice and Snow World, says the amusement park has gained international recognition.

"After 14 years of efforts, our ice and snow world has reached a world-class level as an amusement park with the theme of ice and snow entertainment. This year many internationally famous companies put their designed pieces into our park. This is a good example of what I just said."

The Snow and Ice World has cooperated with entertainment companies such as Walt Disney, 21st Century Fox and video game company the Angry Bird on an interaction systems for visitors.

The park changes into a shining and dreamlike wonderland after sunset. Countless lights shine from inside the elaborate ice structures. Here is visitor Yang Xue.

"It's too beautiful here! I started to scream as soon as I got in and I could do nothing but scream! It's just too beautiful and hard to describe. I feel really excited in this innocent world of ice and snow."

But visitor Liu Xihe has some good advice to those who intend to come and see the sculptures for themselves.

"You have to wear thick wind proof gloves and for the masks you should prepare several because after a while it gets wet and frozen on you face. One more suggestion, bring enough skin lotion with you."

If you are thinking about where to spend your coming holiday, Harbin's Ice Festival could be a good choice.

For CRI, I am Zhang Wan.