In Canada there are snow festivals in the winter in which people make elaborate scupltures out of ice and snow. Nothing I recall seeing up there in the early 80s came remotely close to this. It might be that technology has improved in the past 20 years. It might be that the Chinese are simply taking this a lot more seriously. In any event, the results are simply amazing. Massive functional buildings made entirely of ice and filled with lights!

R Todd King: China Photos 2005 - Harbin Winter