Winter fishing-themed festival kicks off at Chagan Lake, NE China

A tourist holds a fish during a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

A winter fishing-themed festival kicked off on Thursday at Chagan Lake, marking the beginning of the annual golden season for winter fishing here.

Chagan Lake, located in Songyuan City of Jilin Province, is one of China's largest freshwater lakes with abundant fishery resources. Locals living by Chagan Lake have kept alive the tradition of ice fishing by hand-drilling holes through the thick ice and casting nets into the icy waters to catch fish.

The winter fishing at Chagan Lake, included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, has become a famous tourism attraction in the city.

Tourists select fishes during a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 27, 2023 shows staff members transferring fishes at a fish market near Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

A tourist selects goods at a fish market near Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Tourists select fishes during a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Fishes are seen during a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Fishes are seen during a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

The opening ceremony of a winter fishing-themed festival is held on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 28, 2023 shows a winter fishing-themed festival on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 28, 2023 shows people watching winter fishing on the Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Tourists select goods at a fish market near Chagan Lake in Songyuan City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)