Cold comfort

Night skiing

From early November, ski lodges in the province began to open doors to skiers, snowboarders and other winter sports enthusiasts.

Jilin has the largest ski resorts in China, including Lake Songhua Resort, Beidahu Ski Resort and Wanda White Mountain Resort.

Zhang Yibing, 60, an enthusiastic snowboarder from Changchun, the provincial capital, has become a "big star" among skiers at the Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin city since it opened in January 2015.

"I began to ski in 2002 and have been enchanted with snowboarding for 17 years," he said. "It's a great thrill for a snowboarder like me to enjoy the resort where the infrastructure has been built at an international level."

He spends most of his spare time in winter at the resort, especially after his workload began to reduce due to age in recent years.

"Traveling from Changchun is convenient," he said. "I spend only one and a half hours driving or 40 minutes by high-speed railway."

"Jilin province has some of the country's best resources and favorable temperatures for winter sports," he added. "For those who come from the south, frequent flights and high-speed trains can make their trips easier."

Since the opening of the new winter season in Changchun, 44-year-old photographer Zhang Jiadong spends much of his spare time taking photos for skiers at the city's Miaoxiang Mountain Ski Resort to record their special moments.

"I found that a lot of enthusiasts like to ski in the evenings," he said. "It has become fashionable among office workers."

For the new season, lighting systems to illuminate the slopes have been renovated, said Zhang Yinan, a staff member at the resort.

Night skiing is open from 5:30 pm to 9 pm, attracting many office workers.

Zhang Jiadong said he also found that more children are taking to winter sports.

"The 2022 Winter Olympics have aroused public interest in winter sports in the country," he said. "Skiing has become an essential skill for many people to acquire."

The annual skiing season lasts for about 150 days in Jilin and a series of activities during the period is expected to boost development of the ice-and-snow economy in the region, according to local officials.