CHINA

HISTORY
China is one of the world's oldest civilized nation, which dates back to more than 10,000 years.
The 5,000 years period is commonly used as the date when China became unified under a large
empire. China alternated between periods of political unity and disunity at intervals, and was
occasionally conquered by external groups of people, some eventually being assimilated into the
Chinese population.
Ancient Ancestors of the Nation
According to chinese legends and myths, all people were created by the original ancestor of
mankind, the Great Mother, Nv Wa. Pan Gu separated heaven and earth, but he died alone. His
body became the new world. Countless years passed, Nu Wa appeared. She created the first
human beings after her own image: she took some loess and shaped some "mud dolls" in her
form, and set them on the land. The mud instantly turned into humans, who scattered in all
directions.
Of course, according to research, the oldest direct ancestor of mankind was Ramapithecus. In
1956 and 1975, the fossils of ancient apes that lived at the same time as did Ramapithecus were
found in Kaiyuan City and Lufen County of Yunnan Province. This means this land fostered the
earliest ancestors of mankind. About two to three million years ago, a tool-making creature
appeared. This ape was widely dispersed across China. From the fossils of these apes, Yuanmou
Man,
Lantian
Man
and Peking
Man were
identified.
China's ancient legends have passed down interesting and cherished accounts of this era. Legend
has it that several outstanding figures appeared in China's primitive clans: Youchao Shi, Suiren
Shi, Fuxi Shi and Shennong Shi. Fuxi Shi, Shennong Shi and Nu Wa are together called the
Three Sage Rulers.
Primitive tribe and clan
About five to six thousand years ago, peoples living in various parts of China evolved one after
another into matrilineal societies. Approximately four to five thousand years ago those tribes and
clans
went
on
to
organize
themselves
along
patriarchal
lines.
The Yellow Emperor's tribe and the Red Emperor's tribe continually merged with surrounding
tribes, forming the Yellow and Red Tribe. This tribe then combined with different tribes in the
Central Plain and the middle reaches of the Yellow River to form the earliest Hua Xia nation.
One of the best-known leaders of the tribal coalition after the Yellow and Red Emperors was
Yao. During his reign, the mighty Yangtze River overflowed and inundated the plains. Yao
designated Gun, leader of the Xia tribe, to oversee efforts to stem the floods. When Yao became
too old to preside over things, he passed his title and authority as the head of the tribal coalition
to Shun. Shun went on to assign Yu, son of Gun, to take up the task of taming the floods. Yu
came to realize that Gun had failed beacause he had been trying to contain the water. He decided
to abandon this approach in favor of letting the water flow and ebb in its natural course.
Yu's contributions in harnessing the deluge and encouraging farming were well-recognized by

his tribesmen. He was elected leader of the tribal coalition to succeed Shun. Since he was born in
the Xia clan, he was also known as Xia Yu, and is venerated as Yu the Great.
Written records of the history of China can be found from as early as 1500 BC under the Shang
dynasty (c. 16001046 BC). Ancient historical texts such as the Records of the Grand
Historian (ca. 100 BC) and the Bamboo Annals describe a Xia dynasty (c. 20701600 BC),
which had no system of writing on a durable medium, before the Shang. The Yellow River is
said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization, although cultures originated at various regional
centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys millennia ago in
the Neolithic era. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's
oldest civilizations, and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization.
Much of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy further developed during the Zhou
dynasty (1046256 BC). The Zhou dynasty began to bow to external and internal pressures in the
8th century BC, and the kingdom eventually broke apart into smaller states, beginning in
the Spring and Autumn period and reaching full expression in the Warring States period. This is
one of multiple periods of failed statehood in Chinese history, the most recent being the Chinese
Civil War that started in 1927.
Between eras of multiple kingdoms and warlordism, Chinese dynasties have ruled parts or all of
China; in some eras control stretched as far as Xinjiang and Tibet, as at present. In 221 BC Qin
Shi Huang united the various warring kingdoms and created for himself the title of "emperor"
(huangdi) of the Qin dynasty, marking the beginning of imperial China. Successive dynasties
developed bureaucratic systems that enabled the emperor to control vast territories directly.
China's last dynasty was the Qing (16441912), which was replaced by theRepublic of China in
1912, and in the mainland by the People's Republic of China in 1949.
In the 21 centuries from 206 BC until AD 1912, routine administrative tasks were handled by a
special elite, the Scholar-officials("Scholar-gentlemen"). Young men were carefully selected
through difficult examinations and were well-versed in calligraphy and philosophy. The
conventional view of Chinese history is that of alternating periods of political unity and disunity,
with China occasionally being dominated by steppe peoples, most of whom were in turn
assimilated into the Han Chinese population. Cultural and political influences from other parts of
Asia and theWestern world, carried by successive waves of immigration, cultural assimilation,
expansion, and foreign contact, form the basis of the modern culture of China.

President: Xi Jinping (2013)

Prime Minister: Premier Li Keqiang (2013)

Land area: 3,600,927 sq mi (9,326,411 sq km); total area:3,705,407 sq mi (9,596,960 sq km)1
Population (2014 est.):1,355,692,576 (growth rate: 0.44%); birth rate: 12.17/1000; infant
mortality rate: 14.79/1000; life expectancy: 75.15
Capital (2011 est.): Beijing, 15.594 million
Largest cities: Shanghai 20.208 million; Guangzhou 10.849 million; Shenzhen 10.63 million;
Chongqing 9.977 million; Wuhan 9.158 million (2011)

Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect),
Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang,
Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) note: Zhuang is official in
Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uighur is
official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uyghur, and Tibetan is official in
Xizang (Tibet)
Ethnicity/race: Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other (includes Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao,
Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai and other
nationalities) 7.1% note: the Chinese government officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups (2010
est.)
National Holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, October 1
Religions: Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, folk religion 21.9%, Hindu
Literacy rate: 95.1% (2010 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $13.39 trillion; per capita $9,800. Real growth
rate: 7.7% (official data). Inflation: 2.6%. Unemployment: 4.1% official registered
unemployment in urban areas; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural
areas. Arable land: 11.62%. Agriculture: rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet,
barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish. Labor force: 797.6 million (2011); agriculture 33.6%,
industry 30.3%, services 36.1% (2012 est.). Industries: mining and ore processing, iron, steel,
aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum;
cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food
processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships,
and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles,
satellites. Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium,
hydropower potential (world's largest). Exports: $2.21 trillion (2013 est.): machinery and
equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment, iron and steel. Imports: $1.95 trillion (2013

est.): machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, optical and medical equipment,
organic chemicals, iron and steel. Major trading partners: U.S., Hong Kong, Japan, South
Korea, Germany, Australia, Taiwan (2013).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 278.86 million (2012); mobile cellular: 1.1
billion (2012).Broadcast media: all broadcast media are owned by, or affiliated with, the
Communist Party of China or a government agency; no privately-owned television or radio
stations with state-run Chinese Central TV, provincial, and municipal stations offering more than
2,000 channels; the Central Propaganda Department lists subjects that are off limits to domestic
broadcast media with the government maintaining authority to approve all programming;
foreign-made TV programs must be approved prior to broadcast (2008). Internet hosts: 20.602
million (2012). Internet users: 389 million (2009).
Transportation: Railways: total: 86,000 (2008). Roadways: total: 4,106,387 km; paved:
3,453,890 km (with at least 84,946 km of expressways) ; unpaved: 652,497 km
(2011). Waterways: 110,000 km (2010). Ports and harbors:Dalian, Guangzhou, Ningbo,
Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin . Airports: 507 (2013 est.).
International disputes: continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward
reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de
facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad
Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands
to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in
2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear
proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of
the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue
negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising
from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and
along the Chumbi salient; Burmese forces attempting to dig in to the largely autonomous Shan
State to rout local militias tied to the drug trade, prompts local residents to periodically flee into
neighboring Yunnan Province in China; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol
off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted
Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over Scarborough Reef along
with the Philippines and Taiwan, and over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brunei; the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the
South China Sea eased tensions in the Spratlys but is not the legally binding code of conduct
sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the
Spratlys and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam
signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of
the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject
both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's
unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon
exploration and exploitation; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dispute with
North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans,
fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and
imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once

disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with
their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary
agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land
boundary was completed in 2009; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has
reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with
backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite
regional and international protests; Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to
resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

Mutianyu's "Mao Loyalty Ridge", the Best Place to See the Great Wall
The Great Wall, a star attraction
in China, is a symbol of China,
together with Tiananmen Square
and the five stars or the
Communist flag.
If you are planning to visit the
Great Wall of China, the best
section is at Mutianyu, a fullyrestored with elegant scenery,
less crowds, and good walking
conditions. The most challenging
section (very steep) is near the "Mao's Loyalty Ridge", taking about 30
minutes to climb the steps.
The landmark of Mutianyu's Great Wall section is the hill with a large stone
inscription saying (Be loyal to Chairman Mao), which was made
in the Cultural Revolution period (1966-1976). Standing on the ridge, you can
have a birds eye view of the Great Wall in this area.

The Forbidden City the Largest Imperial Palace in the World

The Forbidden City (or the Palace
Museum) is one of the must-visit
attractions for travelers to China.
It used to be an imperial palace in
the Ming (13681644)
and Qing (16441911) dynasties.
It has housed 24 emperors. Today,
the palace is a large museum,
housing thousands of historical
relics.
The layout of this palace is strictly
according to Chinese fengshui theory. Chinas best-preserved imperial palace

is the worlds largest ancient palatial structure (720,000 square meters, and
more than 9,000 halls), and the essence and culmination of traditional
Chinese architectural accomplishment.

The Terracotta Warriors Museum

Buried in 210 BC with the first
Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, this
breathtaking underground army of
Xian is another star attraction in
China. The
Terracotta
Warriors
Museum, with three pits, covers an
area of 22,780 square meters.
Over 8,000 terracotta soldiers and
horses, and more than 10,000
bronze weapons were unearthed in
these three pits.
The Terracotta Warriors is First Emperor Qins Buried Battalions, about one
kilometer from his mausoleum. The life-sized terracotta army is exhibited in
the museum built at the site of archeological excavation. An interesting fact
is that all the terracotta soldiers were made to face east towards Emperor
Qin's enemies.

Dujiangyan Panda Base the Best Place to See the Giant Pandas
A landmark in wildlife preservation. Chinas giant panda has become one of
must-see
attractions
of
China, alongside the Great
Wall, the Terracotta Army,
and the Li River. The best
places to see the giant
pandas are at the Dujiangyan
Panda
Base in Chengdu,
where volunteer programs
allowing close contact with
the giant pandas.
The
giant
panda is
an
endangered animal. Due to
deforestation and hunting
(especially before the 1950s), the number of giant pandas was rapidly

reduced. At present, this cuddly and lovable animal lives nowhere else in the
world except China outside captivity, with only a little more than 1,000 in the
world.

The 20 Yuan Bank Note Site a Li River Landmark

As the fifth series of Chinese bank
notes was issued, the Li Riverscenery
printed on the back of the 20-yuan bill
became a landmark of China. This
image was taken at a site near
Xingping Dock in Yangshuo. It is a part
of the Li River cruise route. Your cruise
ship will slow down there, so that you
can feast your eyes on the landmark.
Renowned for its karst landforms,
limestone cones, cylinders, and hills,
the Li River has inspired countless Chinese poets and artists, and has been
repeatedly depicted on the countrys newspapers and magazines.

Mount Qomolangma, or Mount Everest

Mount Qomolangma is a holy mountain
for local Tibetan people. Mount
Qomolangma or Everest is also a
representative
landmark
of
the
Himalayas, Tibet, even China. This
pyramid-shaped world record holder
straddles the border of China and
Nepal, with the north col located in
Tingri, and the south col located in
Nepal.
In the Mount Qomolangma area, there are over 40 mountains more than
7,000 meters. The magnificent scenery from the highest point of land (about
8,844 meters high), and the sense of achievement has attracted hundreds of
mountaineers to conquer the summit since the first success in reaching the
peak in 1953.

Emperor Yang of Sui

Yangdi, also known as Emperor Yang of

Sui, was the second emperor of China's
Sui dynasty who ruled from 604 until
his death in 618. Born as the second
son of Emperor Wen of Sui, he was
named Yang Ying at birth. However, he
was renamed as Yang Guang after his
father consulted the oracles which
advised
a
change
of
name.
Courageous and valiant from a young
age, he commanded five armies in the
invasion of the southern Chen dynasty
while he was still a young price and received much praise for his bravery.
After becoming the emperor he embarked on extensive military campaigns
that vastly expanded his territories. During his reign several major
construction projects were undertaken which included the building of large
canals, roads, and palaces. He also ordered the reconstruction of the Great
Wall, a project which resulted in the deaths of six million workers and nearly
depleted the royal treasury. He spent lavishly on the construction projects
which severely affected the countrys financial resources. Highly ambitious,
the emperor was also very arrogant and cruel. It is generally believed that he
ascended the throne after ordering the murder of his elder brother and father
though his claim is unproven. Historians often consider him to be one of the
worst
tyrants
in
Chinese
history

Childhood & Early Life

Yang Guang was born in 569 to Yang Jian, the Duke of Sui and Yang
Jian's wife Duchess Dugu Qieluo. He was their second son.
He grew up to be a bright and handsome boy, and was considered to
be his parents favorite son.
His father Yang Jian seized power as the regent after the death of
Emperor Xuan in 580. By the next year, he had forced the emperors

son to give up the throne in his favor. He then established the Sui
Dynasty and became its Emperor Wen.
Emperor Wen launched a major attack on rival Chen Dynasty in the
winter of 588. Yang Guang, along with his brother Yang Jun and the
general Yang Su were in command of the different prongs of the
operation. Yang Guang displayed great bravery in the campaign and
played a pivotal role in its ultimate success.
Yang Guang had always been his parents favorite son. By 600, his
elder brother the Crown Prince Yang Yong had lost the favors of his
parents due to his wastefulness and having many concubines. Yang
Guang, on the other hand, pretended to be frugal and faithful to his
wife.
Yang Guang also hatched conspiracies against his brother to defame
him further in the emperors eyes. He was eventually successful in
leading the emperor to depose his elder son and name Yang Guang
as the Crown Prince instead.

Emperor Wu of Han
Wudi is the posthumous name of
Emperor Wu of Han who was the
seventh emperor of the Han
dynasty of China; he ruled from
14187 BC. His reign lasted over
half a century and is one of the
longest reigns in Chinese history. A
famed military campaigner, Wudi
led his armies on great expeditions
that resulted in vast expansion of
the territories under his rule. The
autocratic
emperor
with
his
ruthless campaigning brought Southern China and northern and central
Vietnam under his control and was successful in re-conquering
northern and central Korea which had slipped out of Chinese control.
Even though he was able to considerably expand his empire through
his aggressive military campaigns, these wars also depleted much of
the empires reserves and wealth. He declared new taxes and
implemented new business policies to increase the states income
which made him unpopular among the citizens. Even though marked
by prosperity in the beginning, the final years of his reign were filled
with financial difficulties and political unrest. Wudi was also known for
his introduction of various religious and cultural changes into the
society. He made Confucianism the state religion of China, and was
obsessed with finding the path to immortality
Childhood & Early Life
He was born as Liu Che on 30 June 156 BC in Chang'an, (now
Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China) to Liu Qi and his consort Wang
Zhi. His grandfather was Emperor Wen of Han upon whose
death Liu Qi ascended the throne as Emperor Jing of Han.
Liu Che was his fathers tenth son and thus initially considered
unlikely to inherit the throne. However he became his fathers
favorite son and was made the Prince of Jiaodong in 153 BC. He
was later made crown prince in 149 BC.

Zhang Ziyi
Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, China. Her parents are
Zhang Yuanxiao (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhng Yunxio),
an accountant and later economist, and Li Zhousheng (
; L Zhushng), a kindergarten teacher.[2][3] She is very close
to her older brother, Zhang Zinan ( ; Zhng Znn; born
1973). Zhang began studying dance when she was 8 years
old; subsequently, she joined the Beijing Dance Academy at
her parents' suggestion at the age of 11. [4] While at this
boarding school, she noticed how mean the other girls were to
each other while competing for status amongst the teachers.
Zhang disliked the attitudes of her peers and teachers so much
that, on one occasion, she ran away from the school. [3] At the
age of 15, Zhang won the national youth dance championship
and began appearing in television commercials in Hong Kong.
She rose to international fame in 2000 with her role as Jen (Chinese version: Yu Jiao Long)
in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for which she won several awards in the Western world, such
as Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, Independent
Spirit Awards and earned her a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting
Role. Her character is a young Manchu noblewoman who has secretly learned martial arts and runs
off to become a wandering swordswoman rather than commit to an arranged marriage.
Although she has done many acrobatic fight scenes in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and later
movies, Zhang does not actually know Chinese martial arts; rather, she relies on her dancing skills to
mimic the Gongfu choreography.[7]
Zhang's first appearance in an American movie was in Rush Hour 2.[8] Her character's name is "Hu
Li", which is Mandarin Chinese for "Fox".
In 2046 (2004), directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring many of the best-known Chinese actors and
actresses, Zhang was the female lead and won the Hong Kong Film Critics' Best Actress Award and
the Hong Kong Film Academy's Best Actress Award.
Showing her whimsical musical tap-dancing side, Zhang starred in Princess Raccoon, directed by
Japan's Seijun Suzuki, who was honored at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
She played the lead role of Sayuri in the American film adaptation based on the international
bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha, a challenging role as all of her dialogue would be in English.
Controversy also arose in Japan and China about having a Chinese woman portray a
Japanese geisha. For this film, she was reunited with her 2046 co-star Gong Li and with Crouching
Tiger co-star Michelle Yeoh. For the role, Zhang was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best
Actress Motion Picture Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and
the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
On 27 June 2005, she accepted an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences (AMPAS), placing her among the ranks of those able to vote on the Academy Awards.[9]In
May 2006, Zhang was chosen as a jury member of Feature Films at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
[10]

She returned to China for another period drama, The Banquet, in 2006; although this time with less
action than her three previous films in the genre.

Traditional Festivals and Events List

Chinese New Year 2016 Traditions, Activities, Day-By-Day Guide

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival in China, is Chinas most important
traditional festival. It is also the most important celebration for families, and a week of
official public holidays.

Dragon Boat Festival 2017/2018

Dragon boat racing is the most popular activity in the Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon
Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, is a traditional and important celebration
in China.

China's Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, and
traditionally ends the Chinese New Year period. In 2016 it falls on February 22.

Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival is an important day to show respects to ancestors. Qingming Festival,
also called Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness in English, usually falls on April 4 or
5. Qingming ()... Read more

Double Seventh Day How to Celebrate China's Valentines Day

A picture about the Double Seventh legend The Double Seventh Festival (Qixi Festival)
is one of Chinese traditional festivals, and also known as a Chinese Valentine's Day. It's
based on a rom... Read more

The 24 solar terms

The 24 solar terms, based on the sun's position in the zodiac, were created by farmers
in ancient China to guide the agricultural affairs and farming activities.

Winter Solstice
In Winter Solstice, eating dumplings is a kind of custom in the north part of China. In
the Gregorian calendar, the Winter Solstice usually falls around December 21, and more
often refers in part.

The Double Ninth Festival

Enjoying chrysanthemum is a kind of custom in the Double Ninth Festival. The Double
Ninth Festival, also known as Chongyang Festival, is held on the ninth day of the ninth
lunar month.

Chinese New Year, also known

as Spring Festival in China, is
Chinas
most
important
traditional festival. It is also the
most important celebration for
families, and a week of official
public holiday.

Chinas Mid-Autumn Festival is

celebrated on month 8 day 15 of
Chinas
lunar
calendar
(in
September or October). MidAutumn
Festival
2016
is
on September 15. Chinese people
will have a three-day holiday from
September 15 to 17.
The
Mid-Autumn
Festival
is
the second
most
important
festival to Chinese people after
the Spring Festival. Every year, when the festival comes, Chinese go home from
every corner of the country and the world for family reunions.

At first, mainly Chinese participated, but in the last decade, it has become
an international festival and competition. As the festival grows in
international participation, and as China's economy grows, the size of the

snow
sculptures
and
ice
architecture
exhibits
keeps
growing. The work going into making
these exhibits is astounding, and their
size and beauty is amazing.
The lightning effects on the huge ice
sculptures in the Ice and Snow World
are technologically sophisticated. They
use computer controlled LEDs and
regular lighting to animate stunning
displays of color and design.