Zhaolin Park

Located in central Harbin, at the northern end of Zhaolin Dajie in Daoli District, this vast park covers almost seven hectares of land and faces the city's Songhua River.

Zhaolin Park was built in 1906, and its initial name was "Directorate's Park." The park's name later was changed to "Park of the Special Municipality" and then to "Park of the Daoli District." The Heilongjiang Province government renamed the park after General Li Zhaolin, a national hero who was buried there on March 24, 1946. After improved in 1985, the park has become a nice place with enchanting scenery. In the east, there is Huaguo Mountain. In the west, there lies Rose Mountain. Xiaonan Islet is located in the south and glass flower cellar is found in the north. A man-made lake flows around in the center with five small bridges cleverly link the water area. In the park, there are arbors, the open-air theatre, children's playground, skate land and flower and fish exhibition hall.

The best time of visiting Zhaolin Park is summer and winter. In summer, it has flourishing greenery and fragrant grasses and teems with beautiful flowers. The park has several beautiful small gardens, including the northern garden, reflecting-moonshine garden (Yingyue Garden), clove garden ( Dingxiang Garden) and southern greenhouse garden.

In every winter, Zhaolin Park is transformed into an ice lentern world because the world-famous Harbin Ice Lantern Art Fair (from January 5 to the late February) is held here. When night falls, the resplendence and multicolors of the ice lanterns fill the whole park. The vivid and peculiar ice lanterns are outfitted with modern technology, such as sound, light and automation. The design of ice lanterns includes beautiful sceneriess from across the world and marvelous modern and ancient spectacles. Millions of visitors enjoy this supernatural ice and snow world each year, attracted by its reputation as a scenic spot. They marvel at the magnificence of the illuminated ice and snow scultures and revel in the park as if they were in a fairyland.