Off the wire
• Algeria forecasts 3.9 pct growth in 2017  • Roundup: Moody's keeps Cyprus' ratings into speculative range, changes outlook to positive  • Algeria increases oil output by 100,000 barrels per day  • Iran says humanitarian aid immediate need of besieged Syrians  • South Sudan bans night gatherings in the capital  • China plays important role in consolidating South-South cooperation: COP22 president  • U.S., China enjoy "incredible" climate relationship: official  • Dutch police arrest around 200 protesters against controversial "Black Pete"  • China commemorates 150th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth  • Rise in harassment of Swedish Migration Agency staff members:report  
You are here: 　 Home

Feature: Chinese ice carvers bring Caribbean Christmas ice sculptures to Texas

Xinhua, November 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Caribbean and the Texas Gulf Coast are 1,500 miles apart, but the two have come together with some creative help from Chinese ice carvers in the Gulf Coast island city of Galveston.

The group of 28 ice carvers from Harbin, China, are using ice picks and chainsaws to create one-of-a-kind ice sculptures at ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas.

Now in its third year, the holiday ice exhibit at Moody Gardens opens on Saturday inside a 28,000-square feet insulated tent structure that is kept at a constant 9 degrees Fahrenheit.

There, the Chinese team is sculpting ordinary 300-pound blocks of colored ice into towering and majestic works of art that includes coral reefs, marine animals and even a replica of the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid.

The team is led by chief ice and snow carving artist Qui Guanghui, who has received top honors in numerous international tournaments, including the Harbin International Ice and Snow Carving and the Chinese National Ice Carving Competition.

More than 2 million pounds of ice have been shipped into Galveston to create the spectacular sculptures.

"We're really excited," Brandon Compton, assistant general manager at Moody Gardens, told Xinhua. "We think that we have an event that tops what we have done in previous years, and we look forward to the debut for our guests."

Yongqiang Fan, one of the 28 ice carvers, said that the project is challenging because they are using different methods to carve the sea animals and large structures such as a submarine and Oil Rig Ice Slide.

The exhibit takes visitors on ice journey of the Texas Gulf Coast, a Moody Gardens official said.

"You will walk through the coral and all the beautiful fish, then you go on a submarine and eventually end up at a Caribbean Island destination to celebrate Christmas with Santa," Jerri Hamachek, manager of marking and PR at Moody Gardens, told Xinhua.

Visitor Thomas Zieglar called the exhibit "very eye-catching."

"There's so much work put in by these guys that just makes the beauty come out in the ice," said Zieglar, who comes from Alvin, southeast of Houston.

"I wish more places did stuff like this. It lets you think outside the box." Endit