冬日的童話

In winter, Northeast China turns into a vast expanse of white from the “Arctic village” of Mohe to the Lushunkou District of Dalian and to the eastern most point of China's territory.At higher latitudes than any other region in China, Northeast China has a long winter of up to six months, during which snow can remain as thick as 50cm or so on average.When the north wind blows, snow moves in waves through numerous towns and ski resorts.

Snow Towns: A Pure Wonderland

The Shuangfeng Forest Farm, located on the border of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces, is the most famous of all snow towns in Northeast China.It is reputed as “the hometown of snow in China”for its long period of snow, the amount of snowfall and the quality of snow, in which it is rivalled by none.The farm's rare, pure and fairytale scenery of snow has enchanted countless photographers, writers and painters from across China and abroad.

The meeting of warm air from the Sea of Japan and cold air from Siberia over the dense forest produces plenty of snowfall, the depth of which may reach more than two meters.Shuangfeng Forest Farm has appeared in dozens of Chinese movies or TV dramas such as Chuang Guandong (Making a Living in Northeast China), Bei Feng Na Ge Chui (The North Wind Blows), Bei Ji Guang (Northern Lights), and the fi rst episode of the hit reality TV show “Dad! Where Are We Going?”

雪鄉(xiāng)：鬼斧神工雪世界

東北眾多“雪鄉(xiāng)”中，尤以黑龍江與吉林接壤處的小山莊雙峰林場為最。由于雪期最長、雪量最大、雪質(zhì)最好，被稱為中國雪鄉(xiāng)。

Rime: A World of Fantasy

Rime or rime ice is formed when water droplets in clouds or fog freeze to trees.Formed only in unique conditions, most rime scenery is located in dif fi cult to access areas well away from towns.Some of the most breathtaking rime views can be found at the Ku'erbin Hydropower Station (Heilongjiang), the Lianhua Hydropower Station (Heilongjiang) and the Fengman Hydropower Station (Jilin).Thanks to a massive reservoir of water (hence heavy fog) and dense forest, Jilin, the second largest city in Jinlin province, is home to China's rarest rime scenes, which are considered one of China's four natural wonders, along with the Three Gorges Dam, Guilin's scenery, and the Stone Forest near Kunming.The rime found at the Ku'erbin Hydropower Station is widely said to be the most wild of its kind.

The period from December through to early February is the best time to see rime ice.But you still need a stroke of luck to see it even in the winter season as it doesn't appear all the time and only when conditions are right.As the saying goes, “you have fog to see in the evening, rime to see in the morning, and nothing but fallen fl owers to see when noon draws near.”

雪柳：化身奇幻世界

霧凇又名雪柳、水汽花。由于生成條件極為獨特，霧凇景區(qū)大多處在交通不便的邊遠地帶。黑龍江庫爾濱水電站、蓮花水電站、吉林豐滿水電站的瀉水區(qū)域霧凇，堪稱世界奇觀。12月初至翌年的2月份是觀賞霧凇最佳時節(jié)。

從漠河北極村到大連旅順口，從中國版圖的最北到最東，美麗的冰雪世界在冬日登場。東北是我國緯度最高的地區(qū)，這里的冬季長達半年之久，積雪厚達50厘米左右。北風吹來，潔白的雪浪此起彼伏宛如一曲冬季戀歌，無數(shù)個雪鄉(xiāng)、雪場、雪柳等好似串串音符點綴其中。

Ski Resorts: Adventure Amid the Mountains

China's Heilongjiang province is home to more than 100 ski resorts, such as Yabuli, Jihua, Yuquan, Longzhu, Maoer Mountain and Mingdu ski resorts.Beidahu, Jingyuetan, Changbaishan Mountain and Songhuahu Lake ski resorts are some of the premier ski destinations in Jilin province.Popular ski resorts in Liaoning province include Northeast Asia Ski Resort, Qipanshan Ski Resort and Baiqingzhai Ski Resort.

Located in the southeast of Harbin, the Yabuli Ski Resort was originally a royal hunting ground exclusively used by the royal family of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).With abundant snowfall, superior snow and varied ski slopes, the resort is an ideal ski destination for both beginners and skilled skiers.It has hosted several international ski events thanks to its world-class trails suitable for alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and the biathlon.In addition to skiing, the resort also offers a wide array of other activities such as snowboarding, dog sledging, snowmobiling, cable car rides, mountain climbing, snow saucering and bon fi re parties.

雪場：在高山之間飛行

位于哈爾濱東南部的亞布力滑雪場，清朝時期曾是皇室和滿清貴族的狩獵圍場。這里優(yōu)良的雪質(zhì)、豐厚的積雪量以及變化多端的雪道坡度，使從初練乍學(xué)的新手到技術(shù)精湛的高手都能如魚得水。

GET TO KNOW THESE SKIS & SNOWBOARDS滑雪板小知識

If you fancy having a go at skiing, then some decent skiing gear will surely help to get you started.Check out these skis and snowboards.

Telemark Skis 泰勒馬克滑雪板

The Telemark ski is one of the oldest categories of skis.Telemark skis have specially designed bindings that fix only the toe of the ski boot to the ski, allowing skiers to control the direction through body movement.Mostly used in ski racing, they require skiers to be adequately skilled.

Snowboards 滑雪單板

Inspired by surfboards, snowboards were developed in the United States in the 1960s and had swept the world by the mid-1980s.Like surfboarding, snowboarding involves standing on a board attached to a rider's feet, one at the front and the other at the rear.Popular snowboarding venues are slalom courses and halfpipes.

Big Mountain Skis 高山滑雪板

Big mountain skis are the most popular winter ski equipment today.As the name suggests, big mountain skis are ideal for skiing on slopes or well-compacted courses.In the past 5-10 years or so, they have seen tremendous development in China.Carving skis, commonly known as “big head skis”, are particularly popular in China.Wider at the tip and tail and skinnier in the middle, they not only increase the fun of skiing, but also simplify the process of learning how to ski.

FUN IN FROSTED FAIRYLAND

Text by Wang Yuanchang Photos by Wang Yuanchang, Sun Fuxing & VCG Translation by Leo Illustration by Zeng Jian