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A neighborhood in the snow-blanketed city of Ji Lin, China recently sprang to life with mascots of animals sculpted from snow. They included a 30-foot long dragon, the God of Health; a big horse; a rabbit and a giant carp.
More than just works of art created out of the blue --or the white-- the seven snow sculptures were actually a labor of love. They were created by Mr. Zhang, a 66-year old retired electrician, for his wife who was recovering from her breast-cancer surgery.
Zhang said he felt grateful to his wife for taking care of the family for the past 39 years and wanted to cheer her up.
"Watching her suffer from the cancer is really painful and I really want to do something to cheer her up", Mr. Zhang said. The animals are traditional Chinese mascots that represent good luck.
"I made the dragon in three days. I've made them before so everything has already been in my head," said Zhang, who has been making snow-sculptures for almost 10 years.
"They will look even better when the weather gets colder," Zhang added.
The wife said she was truly touched by Zhang's "little gifts" and expressed gratitude for being blessed with 39 years of marriage with a husband who has been supportive through tough times.
