Chagan Lake in Songyuan, Jilin province, boasts lucid water. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Chagan Lake in Songyuan, Northeast China's Jilin province, is among the top 10 freshwater lakes in China, as well as a national 4A-level scenic spot.

The lake covers an area of 500 square kilometers in the Chagan Lake scenic area, which has four distinct seasons but is most popular among tourists in the summer and winter months.

Fishermen cast their lines at the Chagan Lake Nature Reserve. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Winter hunting at Chagan Lake is spectacular, with thousands of people drilling through the ice and hundreds of thousands of fish being captured. Vehicles run day and night for delivery.

Since 2002, at the end of December every year, Chagan Lake hosts a grand ice and snow fishing and hunting cultural tourism festival.

Chagan Lake is also referred to as Holy Water Lake, as it is the only place in China where traditional Mongolian fishing methods dating back to prehistoric times are still practiced today. The unique skills required for Chagan Lake winter fishing are now listed among China's intangible cultural heritages.