Ice Sculptures, Castles: Winter Harbin Is as Beautiful as a Fairy Tale
Harbin, a city that turns into a fairy tale world when it snows, like Disneyland carrying the fairy tale dreams cherished in the hearts of many adults. The Ice and Snow World theme park resembles the icy realm from the animated film Frozen, while the stunning and somewhat mysterious Saint Sophia Cathedral appears frequently. Children skate and play on the frozen river. Without experiencing Harbin in winter, your journey is surely incomplete.
What makes animated films beautiful is how they create fascinating worlds that ignite passion for life. Undoubtedly, one of the most popular animations among children and adults in recent years is Frozen. The crystal-clear, glittering ice castle in the film is something many yearn for. Ice and Snow World makes you believe that fairy-tale romance still exists.
This year’s Ice and Snow World will combine and showcase the cultural customs of seventeen countries, including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, as well as the urban characteristics of Harbin. Stroll among classic buildings from Central and Eastern Europe, such as Russia’s Yekaterinburg, Russia’s Moscow驿站, Estonia Gate, Latvia’s St. Peter’s Church, and Greece’s Athens Theater. Spend a fairy-tale day at Ice and Snow World. Ice and Snow World is expected to open on December 25.
Sun Island in winter is filled with a white romantic atmosphere, dotted with Russian-style villas. In the last century, with the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the success of the October Revolution in the Soviet Union, a large number of Russians and European immigrants poured into Harbin. They built houses on Sun Island, constructed villas and restaurants for vacations, and hunted, fished, picnicked, and bathed there. These exotic buildings have become a unique cultural landscape on Sun Island.
Central Street, resembling a Russian street, gathers many exotic architectural styles and is a century-old commercial street. Follow the music and taste Modier ice cream, Harbin red sausage, Russian restaurants, and more.
At the end of Central Street lies the Songhua River, now frozen for miles. Here you can skate, play with snow tubes, ride ice motorcycles, and experience standing on the Songhua River. Believe it or not, this is an experience most southern children have never had.
During a trip, delving into the locals’ life circle is particularly interesting. Old Daowai is Harbin’s historic old district, with dozens of old alleys connecting the lifestyles of early 20th-century Harbin residents and modern Harbin residents. After comprehensive maintenance and renovation, Old Daowai is now known as the Chinese Baroque Historical and Cultural Protection Block. Besides that, take time to appreciate the beauty of these old buildings.
In the 1920s, national capitalists began buying land and establishing properties in Daowai. The Baroque style, then sweeping the world, catered to their needs. Due to the “front shop, back factory” business model in Daowai, the “residential and storage” functions of traditional Chinese courtyards were incorporated into Baroque architecture. Auspicious Chinese patterns like bats, pomegranates, golden toads, and peonies were used on facades. Later, a Japanese scholar named Yasuhiko Nishizawa named this architectural style “Chinese Baroque.”
I went to Snow Town in early December, when the entire village was already covered in pure white snow, and it looked stunning with lights blazing at night. In recent years, Snow Town has made headlines due to negative news like “outrageously expensive” and “overcharging.” Actually, everyone has different price sensitivity. For example, a cup of milk tea costing 20 yuan: some may find it expensive, others acceptable. It is important to make thorough preparations before going to Snow Town, mentally preparing for the entire trip to avoid dissatisfaction due to price, accommodation, or the scenery not matching expectations. In terms of transportation, it is not recommended to join local low-cost tours; instead, choose the direct bus to Snow Town.
Yabuli Ski Resort
You can’t miss skiing when going to Northeast China, especially since most natural ski resorts are concentrated in the north, and the experience between artificial and natural snowfields is vastly different.
Yabuli Ski Resort is located in Shangzhi City, 193 kilometers from Harbin. You can take a train or bus from Harbin to reach Yabuli Ski Resort. During the Qing Dynasty, Yabuli Ski Resort was a hunting ground for the royal family and Manchu nobles. It is one of the largest ski resorts in China and the country’s largest comprehensive snow training center, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced ski runs, as well as cross-country ski trails and snow entertainment projects.
The ski resort has various accommodation options including villas and youth apartments, as well as multiple bars, fast-food restaurants, shopping centers, and other facilities on the mountaintop, mountainside, and at the foot.
Finally, a reminder: if it’s your first time in Northeast China, don’t underestimate temperatures of minus ten-something degrees Celsius. You can feel what it’s like to walk outdoors in Harbin without gloves by putting your hand in a freezer compartment. Harbin’s winter minimum temperature can reach minus 30°C, while Snow Town and Yabuli Ski Resort may be 4-5°C colder than Harbin. Therefore, first ensure your clothing is warm enough, like a thick down jacket. Second, protect your hands, face, and ears. In Northeast China, you might not feel cold at first, but when you take out your phone to take photos, just a few seconds of pressing the shutter can numb your hands, and unprotected face and ears will also suffer from cold.
