Chagan Lake's fishermen are said to be China's last remaining fishing tribe. They drill holes in the ice, throw in their fishing nets and use horses to pull winches as they trawl for their catch. In so doing, they are preserving a tradition that dates back more than 1,000 years. [Photo/Jilin Daily]

The future direction for the development of Songyuan city – located in Northeast China's Jilin province – was recently set out, with the goal established of promoting its ice and snow resources and integrating them with its unique winter fishing culture, according to a report in the Jilin Daily.

Located in Songyuan, Chagan Lake is rich in fishing resources and is also regarded as being very special for its ice and snow resources. Chagan Lake's fishermen, for example, are said to be China's last remaining fishing tribe, with tradition that dates back more than a millennium.

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

Based on the enduring traditions of its winter fishing, Songyuan developed Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Ice and Snow World in Chagan Lake to promote its regional economic growth.

The Nabo Ice and Snow Paradise in Songyuan. [Photo/Jilin Daily]

Leveraging its popular Chagan Lake Ice-Snow Fishing and Hunting Cultural Tourism Festival, Songyuan is reportedly making efforts to host more winter sports events such as ice snowmobile races, ice cross-country motorsport snow rallies ice marathons and ice fishing boat races.

Last year, Songyuan opened an additional 46 ice fields and five snow fields, encouraging wider participation in winter sports among residents.

More sports venues are to be constructed with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics currently underway in and around the national capital.

A school ice hockey team charges out onto an ice rink in Songyuan [Photo/Jilin Daily]