Fishermen are hauling in the net at the Winter Fishing Festival. Photo by Zhang Zhexin, People's Daily Online

People's Daily Online, Mudanjiang, January 15 — On Jingpohu Lake in Mudanjiang, the ancient and mysterious fishing culture, passed down for millennia through traditions like "Awakening the Nets," "Toast for a Bountiful Harvest," and "Celebrating the Harvest," captivated visitors with melodious Mongolian songs and the rhythmic beats of drums and gongs. Led by the fishing chief, fishermen hauled in the nets, and with each spirited shout, silver carp and koi leaped vibrantly from the lake.

On the afternoon of January 15, the "Mudanjiang · Jingpohu Lake Ice and Fire Fantasy World & 9th International Winter Fishing Festival" themed "A Millennium Legacy · Leaping Through the Dragon Gate" kicked off at the "Fantasy Ice Lake Zone" of the resort pier in Jingpohu Lake Scenic Area. Representatives from relevant units in Heilongjiang Province and Mudanjiang City, along with tourists from across the country, gathered to participate in this grand and unique winter fishing and hunting cultural feast.

The city of Mudanjiang, upholding tradition while embracing innovation, launched the "Mudanjiang · Jingpohu Lake Ice and Fire Fantasy World & the 9th International Winter Fishing Festival." This initiative is a key measure to implement the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government's efforts to revitalize cold-water fisheries. It also serves as an important platform to continuously showcase Heilongjiang's fishing and hunting culture and promote the "Heilongjiang Premium Products" brand. Additionally, it is a vital component of Heilongjiang's "100-Day Action" for winter ice and snow tourism, aimed at developing the province's ice and snow economy and advancing the entire industrial chain of ice and snow tourism. The Winter Fishing Festival will further invigorate Mudanjiang's winter tourism sector, bolster the cold-water fish industry, and vigorously drive high-quality development of the city's ice and snow economy.

During this event, the launch ceremony of the "Colorful Study Tours Across China—Special Study Tour Theme Day" and "Into the Vast Snowy Fields—Ice and Snow Study Tour Theme Event" Heilongjiang main venue was held, along with activities such as visiting the Jingpohu Lake Ice and Fire Fantasy World. Additionally, lake fish displays were organized, and a fish stew tasting event took place. On-site, guests and tourists not only witnessed the spectacular winter fishing spectacle and participated in various ice-based recreational activities but also experienced the culinary culture of cold-water fish.

According to reports, Mudanjiang City governs three major water systems: the Mudan River, Muling River, and Suifen River, with 520,000 mu of aquaculture water surface. Among them, the Ning'an Zuixin Lake area is the largest high-quality cold-water resource surface in Heilongjiang Province, highly suitable for cold-water fish growth, offering superior conditions for cold-water fish farming. In 2023, the aquaculture area in Mudanjiang City reached 320,000 mu, with a total aquatic product output of nearly 21,000 tons and a total fishery economic revenue of 480 million yuan.

Jingpohu Lake is the world's largest volcanic lava-dammed lake, boasting excellent ecology and abundant aquatic resources, along with a long-standing fishing and hunting culture and winter fishing tradition. Recorded winter fishing dates back to the Tang Dynasty and gained fame during the Liao and Jin Dynasties. A single net once caught a winter fishing record of 860,000 jin. The Jingpohu Lake Winter Fishing Festival has been designated as a national exemplary fishery cultural festival brand by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Ten major economic fish species in Jingpohu, such as silver carp and carp, have obtained national organic food certification. The bighead carp and redtail fish from Jingpohu Lake have been awarded the National Geographical Indication Product status by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and have also been honored as one of Heilongjiang Province's Top Ten Local Specialty Fish.

The winter fishing event this time yielded 128,000 kilograms of lake fish in the first net, and an "auction for the first fish" was held on-site, with the first fish sold for 388,000 yuan.

Following the launch of the Winter Fishing Festival, to fully leverage the unique advantages of ice-snow resources and ecological fisheries, Jingpohu Lake has been hosting daily winter fishing performances from January 15 to the end of February. Activities such as ice fishing experiences and hotpot gatherings around stoves have been introduced, while creating a daytime scene of lively fishing and a nighttime spectacle of starlight and shimmering reflections. These efforts further promote the long-standing winter fishing and hunting culture. The festival also features the enchanting Bohai Snow Castle, the magical Volcanic Ice Valley, and the dazzling Dream Ice Lake, offering visitors a rich ice-snow feast. These initiatives deepen the integration of cultural tourism and fisheries, driving the high-quality development of Mudanjiang's ice-snow economy. (Liu Ting, Zhang Shuyong, Zhou Bing)