Enthusiasts take to the slopes at the Changchun Jingyuetan Ski Resort. [Photo by Tian Jiaxin/For gojilin.gov.vn]

The 2023-24 snow season kicked off with a bang in Northeast China's Jilin province on Nov 18, with a number of winter events taking place and much more set to be staged.

The opening ceremony of the 29th Jilin International Rime Ice and Snow Festival took place at the Lake Songhua Resort.

The ongoing festival plans to feature more than 170 events, focusing on ice and snow tourism, culture and sports.

Through a raft of activities – such as admiring rime, hot spring retreats, experiencing Jilin's Chinese New Year celebrations, winter fishing and witnessing snow sculptures and ice lanterns – the festival aims to ignite the passion of folks to experience ice and snow.

Olympic champion Su Yiming's personally signed snowboard goes on display. [Photo/WeChat account of Lianhuashan Release]

On the day, the Changchun Lianhua Mountain Ski Resort announced it was open this season for business. A total of 3,678 skiing fans got together there to embrace the thrills of ice and snow.

Su Yiming, China's first Olympic champion in snowboarding, presented the resort with a personally signed snowboard as a token of congratulations.

Since its establishment and opening in December 2004, the Lianhua Mountain Ski Resort has cultivated a group of Olympic champions such as Qi Guangpu, Xu Mengtao and Han Xiaopeng – earning it the reputation of being the "cradle of Olympic champions."

It has also hosted numerous international and domestic professional competitions, including six FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup's aerials events and the third Russian-Chinese Winter Youth Games.

Fans are being drawn to the slopes in increasing numbers in the Lake Songhua Ski Resort. [Photo/Jilin Daily]