A fantastical tour through China's winter wonderland
The Harbin International Snow and Ice festival makes the most brutal of seasons magical

People visit ice sculptures illuminated by colored lights during a trial operation of the Harbin Ice and Snow World on Dec. 22, 2014.
(REUTERS/Stringer)From December to March, the so-called "ice city" welcomes millions of tourists to experience a veritable winter wonderland designed and built by some 10,000 artists and work

Jan. 5, 2016.
(REUTERS/Aly Song)

Jan. 5, 2015
People ride slides on ice sculptures.

Jan. 5, 2016.
(REUTERS/Aly Song)

Jan. 4, 2015
(FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Jan. 4, 2015
Visitors use kaleidoscopes to view the winter landscape and ice sculptures.

Jan. 5, 2012
The sun sets behind a castle made from blocks of ice.

Jan. 3, 2011
A man takes a photo of an ice sculpture on a main street in Harbin.

Jan. 3, 2010
People visit an ice sculpture made to look like Rome's Colosseum.

Jan. 4, 2014
A woman is dwarfed by a giant snow sculpture.

Dec. 24, 2009
People visit an ice sculpture made to look like China's Forbidden City.

Jan. 5, 2011
Spectators watch fireworks explode over ice sculptures.