Dancing on a frozen lake: ice diggers toil in frigid conditions
By Globaltimes.cn-CFP, Published: 2017-01-16 14:57:19
Liu Xianku, 55, drags a block of ice weighing about 200 kilograms with his bare chest exposed in temperatures below -20 C at Xiuhu Lake in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning Province on January 4. Though not as young as most of his colleagues, the experienced Liu works tirelessly without sign of fatigue. Photo: CFP
Editor's Note:
Ice diggers are among the hardiest of workers, completing their backbreaking labor in the coldest of temperatures. Their daily routine sees them cut, dig and haul thick blocks of ice, which are then used in the construction of ice sculptures and houses.
A large block of ice basks in the sun after being cut and lifted by workers on January 4. Most of the ice used in the stunning ice sculptures of the Harbin Ice and Snow World are cut from the Xiuhu River at Qipan Mountain in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. Photo: CFP 
Workers enjoy a quick lunch break in chilly winds on January 4. Most of the workers come from Wanbao county, a small place near Harbin known as the ‘County of Ice Diggers.’ The men work on farms for most of the year, switching to ice digging during the coldest winter months. Photo: CFP 
Workers stand on a frozen river, preparing their tools for the coming day's work on January 4. Most ice diggers work in teams of 30, plying their trade across Northeast China. Photo: CFP 
A small group of ice diggers take a cigarette break at dusk on January 4. They have to lean on their hoes to maintain their balance on the ice, lest their fatigue cause them to lose their footing and fall into the icy waters below. Photo: CFP 
The team poses for a group photo during a break on January 4. They often spend more than a month at a time working on Xiuhu Lake, where they will dig out more than 10,000 cubic meters of ice. A team of 30 people is expected to haul 6,000 ice blocks in total, which means that each member has to haul 200 blocks of ice every day, each weighing 200 kilograms. Photo: CFP 
Workers watch a video on a smartphone after a hard day's work on January 4. Photo: CFP