Fishermen catch fish at the opening ceremony of the 11th Jingpo Lake Winter Fishing Festival and the first Jingpo Lake Ice Fishing Challenge in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 15, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Su Jinggang)
A millennia-old winter fishing tradition came to life on Jan. 15 as the 11th Jingpo Lake Winter Fishing Festival and the first Jingpo Lake Ice Fishing Challenge opened in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, offering visitors an immersive experience blending cultural heritage, ecological tourism and winter sports.
On the frozen surface of Jingpo Lake in Mudanjiang, fishermen in traditional sheepskin coats chanted work songs as they lowered massive nets beneath the ice and hauled them back using hand-operated winches.