Construction of a 23.8-meter-high snowman has begun as part of preparations for the upcoming 38th Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Expo in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
Snow sculptors estimate that building "Mr. Snowman", one of the most attractive art works of the expo, will take three to four days and require roughly 5,000 cubic meters of snow.
"The main challenge in creating 'Mr. Snowman' lies in maintaining the proportions in its overall structure. Given its massive scale, sculptors must continuously adjust their work throughout the carving process to ensure proper proportionality," said Zhang Peng, a snow sculptor.
Covering an area of 1.5 million square meters, this year's expo will feature more than 260 snow sculptures. To enhance the visitor experience, 3D modeling has been applied in the design of snow sculptures. The expo is expected to last until February the next year.
"We now need to develop a 3D model for each snow sculpture to ensure that the final work precisely matches its design. From a safety standpoint, these models enable us to make more precise calculations regarding the sculptures' safety and stability, and therefore enhance their durability," said Fan Jingrui, deputy director of the Engineering Management Department of the Sun Island Scenic Area.
All sculptures are expected to be completed by mid-to-late December.
Construction of 23.8-meter-high snowman begins in start of snow sculpture expo in northeast China's Harbin
Hong Kong's first astronaut lifted off into space on Sunday, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for space exploration in the special administrative region, while inspiring a new generation to look to the stars.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday. The crew members include Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut and payload specialist from Hong Kong to join a national space mission, whose achievements have motivated many Hong Kong residents.
"I feel so happy and thrilled. This is the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has gone to space, and to see a true Hong Konger, who is also a mother of three, just really touches my heart," said Chow, a local resident.
The successful spaceflight of Lai has especially captivated the younger generation to dream bigger about the future.
"I want to be an astronaut, because I want to discover more things about space," said a young student surnamed Chow.
"I have seen things related to spaceflights of astronauts. I hope when I grow up, I could receive training and go to space myself," said another student surnamed Koo.
To meet public expectations, the Hong Kong Space Museum has updated its space-themed exhibition with the latest development of the Shenzhou-23 mission, extending the display until July 6. Parents are seizing the moment to enrich their children's knowledge.
"At his age, I want him to be exposed to a wide range of information. With all the recent astronaut news, I brought him here specially to see for himself. We will also check out a film about space knowledge at the planetarium. I hope he can get more out of this from an early age," said Cheung, a father.
"We just watched the Shenzhou-23 launch at home with my son last night, and decided to take him to the Space Museum," a mother surnamed Chun shared.
"I saw on TV that so many people were cheering for the launch. When the rocket was launched, fire burst out from its body. I was really happy they succeeded," said Chun's son.
Hong Kong's first astronaut ignites citywide enthusiasm over space exploration
