HARBIN -- An 18-meter-tall snowman with a welcoming smile was unveiled on Friday in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, warming locals and tourists on cold winter days.

The super-sized sculpture, a landmark of the "ice city" and a hit on Chinese social media, usually turns up on the banks of the Songhua River during the coldest winter months.
This year, more than 100 workers spent around one week constructing this adorable giant, which is 13 meters in length, 10 meters in width and made with around 2,000 cubic meters of snow.
"The snowman is designed to present a lovely and genial smile to viewers and tourists. In addition, since [Harbin] is known as the ice city, we want to use this perfect smile to make everyone feel warmer on cold winter days," said Li Qiushi, designer of the giant snowman.
It is the fourth year that the snowman has made its appearance in Harbin. This time, four medium-sized snowmen have been built nearby to accompany the large snowman. Li said the attraction will last for two months to welcome visitors from across the country.
"I am very excited. We have never seen such [heavy] snow in the south. We can only make small snowmen. Snowfall is not common there," said Wang Huajun, a tourist from the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang.
"I have never seen such a big snowman. I feel both cold and warm. The temperature in Harbin is below minus 20 degrees. But the people here are welcoming, and the food and attractions are very nice," said Rao Wenlyu, another tourist from Zhejiang.