The annual ice harvesting started on the Songhua River in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Sunday. It is held a month ahead of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. /Xinhua Photo

The Songhua River is chosen as a site because its flowing water gives more dense ice. Ice harvesting includes ice probing, cutting and transporting. The large ic  chunks cut from the frozen river are then made into full-size buildings and sculptures for the festival. /Xinhua Photo

About 150,000 cubic meters of ice chunks will be cut and delivered to the Harbin Ice and Snow World, where the world's largest winter festival opens in early January and runs until February. /Xinhua Photo

Hundreds of thousands of visitors will descend on the city, despite temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius, to witness a truly frozen wonderland. /Xinhua Photo