64 teams compete in Harbin international snow sculpture competition

The 17th International College Students Snow Sculpture Competition kicked off in Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China on Saturday, drawing 64 teams from nine countries.

The competition, held at Harbin Engineering University, is part of the larger Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. It has become a dynamic platform for students worldwide to transform snow into intricate sculptures.

This year's event marks a historic milestone with a record 21 international teams, with the most overseas participants in its history.

Representing universities from China, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Russia, and others, the teams are carving their sculptures on three-meter blocks of specially prepared artificial snow. Each team, consisting of four students, has three days to complete their work in chilly winter weathers.

Creating snow sculptures requires meticulous control over the snow's quality. To ensure consistency and avoid impurities in natural snow, organizers chose to use artificial snow blocks. The theme for this year's competition, "United in Heart and Dream, Building the Future Together," is reflected in the sculptures as each team brings their vision to life.

One piece from Beijing Institute of Technology features a Chinese knot symbolizing unity and harmony, blending images of dragon boat, high-speed trains, and fighter jets. The sculpture reflects the students' aspirations for global solidarity and a brighter future.

Harbin Engineering University's creation depicts a silver snake shedding its skin, symbolizing the joy and anticipation of the Year of the Snake.

A team from Thailand is sculpting two lions embracing, symbolizing the enduring friendship between two nations. As seasoned participants in the competition, the Thai team brings both technical expertise and artistic vision to their work, and even incorporates sand sculpting techniques into their snow sculptures, demonstrating their innovative approach and exceptional craftsmanship.

Since its inception, the competition has become a global gathering, with cumulatively more than 6,200 students from 187 universities worldwide taking part. Over 700 snow sculptures have been created, fostering cultural exchange and celebrating the beauty of ice and snow.

After the competition, the sculptures will be open to public, allowing visitors to appreciate the international talent on display.

64 teams compete in Harbin international snow sculpture competition

The concept of eco-friendly burials -- ways of laying loved ones to rest that reduce environmental impact -- has grown in popularity among the Chinese people, especially over the past five years.

In China, eco-friendly burials comprise forms such as lawn burials, flowerbed burials as well as tree burials, which require minimal land. Sea burials and biodegradable urn burials that do not take up any land are also popular options.

Analysts believe eco-friendly burials will help to alleviate the strain on land resources, contribute to environmental protection, and also fulfill people's emotional needs for remembering their departed loved ones. The Ministry of Civil Affairs said in 2024, there were 194,700 ecological burials of ashes across the country, up 67 percent from 2019. Among them, 53,500 were sea burials, an increase of 26 percent over 2019, and 141,200 tree burials, an increase of 90 percent over 2019. Today, 28 provinces in China offer rewards and subsidies to families who choose eco-burials.

"More and more people begin to accept land-saving ecological burial methods. China's land-saving ecological burial methods such as sea burials and tree burials have been on the rise every year. China's land-saving ecological burial facilities have become more full-fledged as local governments have increased their efforts to build these facilities," said Liu Tao, director of the Department of Social Affairs under the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

April 4 marked this year's Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, a traditional Chinese festival for people to pay tribute to the deceased and to worship their ancestors.

During the period around this festival, people often visit graveyards, where they traditionally pay tribute to the dead by offering food and burning incense and paper money.

In recent years, with the support from the government, many have turned to greener practices, such as offering flowers and lighting electric candles. During this year's three-day Qingming Festival holiday from Friday to Sunday, people across China made nearly 54.34 million trips to burial sites, up 14.3 percent from last year.

Eco-friendly burials take root among Chinese people