Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On September 7th, the day of the Great Snow solar term, the opening ceremony of the 6th Harbin Ice Harvesting Festival was held on the frozen Songhua River. This year's festival, themed "Harvesting the First Ice, Shining for the Future," innovatively reinterpreted the millennia-old ice and snow culture.
The Ice Harvesting Festival is a grand festival marking the beginning of winter in Harbin, the "Ice City." The local ice harvesting culture has a long history. During the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Wanyan Liang held the first ice lantern parade in the Harbin area, initiating the local ice and snow culture, which later evolved into the Ice Harvesting Festival. According to tradition, ice harvesters shout ice-harvesting chants before setting out, and the first piece of ice harvested is called "the first ice," tied with a red ribbon called "tying good fortune," symbolizing the warding off of illness and disaster, and favorable weather.
The Ice Harvesting Festival on the 7th presented this tradition in a "new form." Hundreds of performers dressed in traditional ice-harvesting costumes danced the "Ice Harvesting Dance," drums and flags fluttered on the river, and thousands sang the "Ice Harvesting Chant," showcasing the passionate spirit of Northeast China. In the "Tying Good Fortune" section, a red ribbon symbolizing good luck was passed from the first ice harvester to the audience, symbolizing the passing on of tradition. After the first ice harvester emerged from the water, everyone recited the "Ode to the First Ice Harvester."
This year's Ice Harvesting Festival also featured an intangible cultural heritage exhibition area and a food market. A 6-meter-high giant ice chisel sculpture, candied hawthorn snow sculptures, Madier ice cream snow sculptures, frozen pear snow sculptures, and a giant snowman became popular photo spots, attracting tourists to take pictures. The harvested ice blocks will be sent to Harbin Ice and Snow World to be made into ice sculpture landscapes.
Next, key ice and snow projects such as Harbin Ice and Snow World and Sun Island Snow Expo will open successively, and a series of activities such as the ice and snow marathon and ice dragon boat races will also be launched. Starting with the Ice Harvesting Festival, the "Ice City" will present a cultural and tourism feast of "a winter rendezvous and ice enjoyment" to tourists from home and abroad. (End)
