Confucius Institute hosts online winter lecture on Chinese ice sculpture art

As part of its winter online lecture series, the Confucius Institute at Azerbaijan University of Languages have recently organised a lecture titled "The Art of Chinese Ice Sculpture", Azernews reports.

The lecture was delivered by Rafiq Abbasov, Director of the Confucius Institute. He spoke about the history of "The Great World of Ice and Snow" in Harbin, home to the world’s largest ice and snow-themed park.

Abbasov highlighted that the first Harbin Ice Lantern Festival was held in 1963 at the city's Chaolin Park, featuring colourful light displays.

This event marked the beginning of the development of ice sculpting art and paved the way for the annual International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

The festival's main venue is recognised by the Guinness World Records as home to the largest snow sculpture in the world.

Visitors to the park can admire hundreds of large-scale ice replicas of famous historical buildings, sculptures of humans and mythical creatures, as well as representations of the Chinese zodiac animals.

Along the banks of the Songhua River, ice sculptures of various sizes and forms, including snowmen, are on display. During Harbin's ice sculpture competitions, artists from around the globe showcase their skill and creativity in crafting intricate and original ice works.

Abbasov also discussed the styles and technological stages of ice sculpture creation, including the preparation of original designs, the use of traditional carving tools, and modern laser technology for fine details.