CHANGCHUN: A school of large fish thrashes about in a mile-long fish seine, hauled from an ice-covered Chagan Lake in northeast China, as a cheering crowd watches in excitement.
This was part of the millennium-old tradition of ice fishing, which has gained a modern allure and contributed to the country’s booming winter tourism industry.
Shamilev Raschid from Germany, , who was part of a group of international students from Jilin University visiting Chagan Lake for the ice-fishing tour, had the chance to try his hand at the ancient craft.
Learning firsthand from local fishermen how to haul the net through chiselled ice holes, Raschid found the unique charm of ice fishing and the harmony between people and nature in northeast China incredibly impressive.
Ice fishing has emerged as the latest winter attraction in Jilin and its neighbouring Heilongjiang Province, with the two-month season expected to last until mid-February.
In addition to fishing, fresh fish soup has become a favourite among visitors.
“Northeastern Chinese cuisine is full of flavour, and I’m impressed by the warm hospitality of the locals,” said Allahverdiyeva Nazrin, an Azerbaijani student.
The recent surge in tourism has breathed new life into Chagan Lake’s ice fishing tradition, recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
China’s visa-free transit policy has allowed international visitors to explore beyond famous sites and experience new cultures, Raschid noted, adding that his friends and family plan to join him in visiting northeast China for winter tourism.
China has aimed to boost its ice and snow economy as a new growth sector, targeting an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030. — Xinhua/ANN
