――Changchun Holds a Special Ice and Snow Tourism Promotion Event in Beijing
At the promotion event, the organizers also carried out new media interactive promotional activities on-site through various forms such as setting up scenic area display boards, discount QR code walls, “Scan WeChat for Lucky Draws,” and “Shake WeChat to Win Big Prizes.” These activities received active participation from attendees and achieved the expected promotional results.
Changchun, known as the “Capital of Skiing Experience in China,” is a paradise for skiing, snow viewing, and snow playing. This is determined by Changchun’s unique geographical location and climatic characteristics. Located in the transition zone from a humid region to a sub-arid region, Changchun enjoys moderate winter temperatures and a cool climate, with an average temperature of around minus 17°C in January. It does not have the extreme cold of Harbin, yet can maintain a snow cover period of four to five months, with soft, non-icy snow that is perfect for skiing experiences and snow entertainment.
Relying on its unique natural advantages, the Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival was launched in 1998. Over the past seventeen years, driven by the festival, Changchun has developed a relatively complete product system centered around skiing experiences, ice and snow entertainment, folk culture sightseeing, and ice and snow activities. The integration of ice and snow tourism with cultural and sports industries has flourished, further solidifying Changchun’s status as an international cross-country skiing hub city. Each year, the festival attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists, bringing vibrancy and vitality to Changchun’s winter.
The 2015 China Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival will officially kick off on January 2 next year. Themed “Passionate Ice and Snow, Charming Changchun,” this edition will revolve around four major segments—ice and snow experiences, ice and snow competitions, ice and snow culture, and ice and snow commerce—and will host over 100 series of activities, setting a record for all previous editions.
This year’s ice and snow tourism festival is full of highlights. There are three major highlights, which, in popular terms, can be described as “high-end, grand, and top-notch.”
First Highlight: High-End ― Embodied in World-Class Cross-Country Skiing Events. As early as 2003, the Swedish Vasaloppet International Cross-Country Ski Race officially landed in Changchun. Since then, it has attracted hundreds of Nordic cross-country skiing athletes to compete in Changchun every year. After 12 years of development, the brand influence of the Changchun Vasaloppet International Cross-Country Ski Race has continued to grow and officially joined the “Worldloppet” ski organization this year, marking the race’s expansion from Scandinavia to the world stage. Currently, the number of participating countries and athletes for this year is also set to reach a new record.
Second Highlight: Grand ― Embodied in Large-Scale, Content-Rich Ice and Snow Tourism Products. Winter in Changchun is not only lively but also offers more and more fun and scenic spots. Covering an area of 80,000 square meters, the “Jingyue Snow World” is the largest experiential snow sculpture park in the province. The main snow sculpture at the opening ceremony of the ice and snow festival stands 25 meters high and 80 meters long, leaving a stunning impression. The Miaoxiangshan Ski Resort, with an investment of 120 million yuan, features spacious slopes and complete facilities. Polar animals such as emperor penguins and seals make their appearance in Changchun... and so on. In addition, ice and snow experiences are combined with tourism products related to cars, movies, and remnants of the Manchukuo era, forming Changchun’s rich and diverse ice and snow tourism product system, collectively showcasing the city’s “tolerant and grand” character.
Third Highlight: Top-Notch ― Embodied in Content-Rich, Highly Participatory Ice and Snow Festival Events. During this year’s ice and snow festival, the scale and quality of the four segments and hundred activities have been further enhanced, becoming even more dynamic, fashionable, popular, and down-to-earth. Citizens and tourists can not only easily participate but also experience Changchun’s unique folk culture and urban culture. Major hotels, parks, and main streets will also feature large-scale, high-end ice and snow-themed landscapes, creating an even richer ice and snow atmosphere, truly a citywide celebration with ice and snow everywhere.
The China Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival is a comprehensive showcase of all winter activities in Changchun. Friends from Beijing who come to Changchun are most curious about what there is to see and do. In recent years, Changchun’s tourism offerings have become increasingly diverse, with 39 A-level or above scenic areas providing plenty of options. But today’s promotion event focuses on ice and snow, so let’s dive into this topic.
When visiting Changchun in winter, the most distinctive and essential experiences are skiing, hot springs, and folk culture. Here, we have selected the eight most representative scenic spots, collectively known as the “Eight Ice and Snow Sceneries of Changchun.”
First Scenery: Jingyue Lake Scenic Area. It is arguably the most representative ice and snow scenic spot in Changchun. It has three features: First, proximity. Just a dozen kilometers from the city center, you can experience the feeling of galloping through snowy forests without leaving the urban area. A ski resort of this scale within a city is unparalleled in Northeast China. Second, the perfect combination of recreational skiing and professional competitions. The ski resort has seven beginner, intermediate, and advanced slopes, catering to both tourists and beginners, as well as China’s first internationally certified FIS cross-country skiing track designed by the designer of the Olympic cross-country skiing course. This year, the resort will also build a cross-country skiing training area modeled after Germany’s fun training grounds, making the training more engaging and enjoyable. Third, the exploration and display of ice and snow art. Within the resort’s Jingyue Ski Area, two must-see attractions are the “Welcoming” themed Jingyue Goddess main snow sculpture, which is beautifully shaped and grand in scale, and the “Jingyue Snow World.” This year, the Snow World draws inspiration from diverse cultures to present “Five Major Themes” of ice and snow art: “Fantasy Spring,” “Charming Town,” “Global Gathering,” “Chinese Culture,” and “Polar Paradise.” Over 100 large snow sculptures will be created, showcasing not only European charm but also the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Visitors can enjoy over 20 ice and snow recreational activities, making the Snow World even more visually appealing, entertaining, and participatory.
Second Scenery: Lianhuashan Ski Resort. Located 38 kilometers from the city center, it is a professionally managed ski resort in Changchun capable of hosting international-level skiing competitions. It currently has nine beginner, intermediate, and advanced slopes, totaling over 5,810 meters in length and covering an area of 140,000 square meters. It also features internationally standard “freestyle aerials” and “snowboard halfpipe” courses. The “Ice and Snow Happy Valley” built within the resort will open on the 22nd of this month, offering large-scale entertainment such as a super-long ice slide and ice bowling, as well as fun experiences like snow tubes, snow swings, 5D movies, funhouse mirrors, and sightseeing cable cars.
Third Scenery: Miaoxiangshan Ski Resort. Located in Jiutai City, 39 kilometers from Changchun. The resort has excellent infrastructure. For slopes, it has nine beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses, totaling 6,000 meters in length. It includes two magic carpets, one tow lift, and the fastest double-chairlift in the Changchun area, along with a top-tier, three-dimensional intersecting snowboard park nationwide. For equipment, it provides world-class Solomon skis. Additionally, the ski equipment hall, sunshine restaurant, and other service and safety facilities are fully equipped. This winter, the resort continues to develop its “Miaoxiangshan Ski Music Festival” brand event, featuring performances by local and national artists, blending ice and snow with music. The newly built Miaoxiangshan Ice and Snow Park covers 65,000 square meters, including dozens of amusement projects, among which the looping snow tubing track stretches 1.3 kilometers. The continuously developing Miaoxiangshan leisure tourism resort will become a comprehensive destination suitable for all seasons, hosting international skiing competitions and integrating fitness, entertainment, and leisure.
Here, I’d also like to introduce a special spot at the foot of Miaoxiangshan: a brightly decorated small village—the Ping’anbao Village Rural Tourism Professional Cooperative in Bonihe Town. The cooperative operates 12 distinctive “farm stays” offering dining and accommodation services. In these converted farmhouses, visitors can enjoy the experience of eating, staying, and having fun in a rural setting, immersing themselves in the lively atmosphere of a Northeastern Chinese New Year.
Fourth Scenery: Xinli Lake Ski Resort. Located in the scenic Xinlicheng Reservoir tourist area, just 12 kilometers from downtown. Its features include: first, affordability and a variety of entertainment options. For just a few dozen yuan, you can experience skiing, making it especially suitable for beginners. Second, it is the most family-friendly ski resort. Xinli Lake Ski Resort has specially designed a highly safe children’s practice slope with an average gradient of only 5 degrees, where kids can safely enjoy skiing. Additionally, the “Ice and Snow Fairy Tale Happy Valley” built on the lake surface features large snow slides, snow motorcycles, go-karts, bumper cars, and snow mazes. Cartoon characters and royal carriages are especially popular with children, making it ideal for family and parent-child trips.
After fully enjoying the fun of ice and snow play, soaking in a warm hot spring while snowflakes dance in the sky offers a delightful experience of contrasting sensations. Next, let us introduce:
Fifth Scenery: Yulong Hot Spring Resort. Located in Shuangyang District, Changchun, 37 kilometers from the city center. Its biggest highlight is the exquisitely crafted tropical rainforest-style “southern scenery.” The 80,000-square-meter resort is fully enclosed with a steel structure. Here, mountains, rocks, forests, springs, waterfalls, streams, ponds, and flowers create a lush environment year-round. There are 50 uniquely shaped hot spring pools with various functions. The 5,000-square-meter outdoor hot spring area, designed with Taoist cultural elements, offers a unique experience. Facilities such as a water park, jade room, salt stone room, volcanic rock room, yoga studio, fitness plaza, and chess room help guests relax, relieve sub-health issues, drive away fatigue, and restore energy.
Sixth Scenery: Guandong Cultural Park. It is Changchun’s first modern energy wellness hot spring. The spring water, treated with rare mineral medicinal stones, has functions such as cleansing cells, purifying blood, detoxifying, relieving pain, and relaxing muscles. For beauty-conscious women, it also offers special effects like skin beautification and weight loss. Meanwhile, the Guandong Cultural Park emphasizes creating an ice and snow atmosphere and showcasing Northeastern folk culture. It will build a “Guandong Ice Sculpture Park” themed “Chinese Dream, Guandong Sentiment, Romantic Ice and Snow Festival.” The park’s 60,000-square-meter lake area will also feature an ice and snow amusement park with skating and ice game zones. Visitors can also experience sleeping on heated brick beds, making sticky rice cakes, setting off fireworks, and shopping for New Year goods, immersing themselves in rich Northeastern folk and ice and snow culture.
Seventh Scenery: Tianyi Hot Spring Villa. Adjacent to Xinlicheng Reservoir and about 20 kilometers from Changchun, it is the only place in Changchun where you can enjoy both skiing and hot springs. In the indoor bathing area, you can experience hot springs with water temperatures of 58°C, rich in over 30 health-beneficial minerals and trace elements. Outdoors, the resort will build a new ice and snow park and two downhill ski slopes this year, utilizing the mountain terrain and forest clearings to create a 1.1-kilometer circular cross-country skiing trail, perfect for visitors to try. Winter tourism elements such as food, scenery, ice and snow, and hot springs blend seamlessly here, making it an ideal leisure destination.
Changchun, located in the heart of Northeast China, has seen Han Chinese interact with ethnic minorities such as Manchu, Hui, Mongolian, and Korean, leading to a unique Guandong folk culture. When visiting Changchun, you must experience our Northeastern folk culture. Around the Spring Festival each year, there is one particularly festive spot you should visit:
Eighth Scenery: Changchun Winter Agricultural Expo and Jingyue New Year Fair. Here, visitors can pick vegetables grown via soilless cultivation, visit exhibitions of Clivia flowers, fisheries, lanterns, and green food, enjoy special cultural performances and calligraphy sessions, and shop for New Year goods at the fair. It is a winter tourism product that combines sightseeing, leisure, and shopping, embodying the most Northeastern “New Year” atmosphere. From February 6 to 25, 2015, the sixth Winter Agricultural Expo will be held at the Changchun Agricultural Expo Park for 20 days, featuring seven exhibition and sales events and six cultural activities. If you want to experience the lively atmosphere of a Northeastern Chinese New Year, be sure to visit the Winter Agricultural Expo.
The “Eight Ice and Snow Sceneries of Changchun” highlighted above. Of course, while experiencing Changchun’s ice and snow culture, you must also explore the city’s unique urban culture and tourism offerings.
First is the Automotive Industry Tour. Changchun is a nationally renowned “Motor City.” Visitors can learn about the history of China’s automobile development, experience modern car manufacturing processes, and feel Changchun’s unique automotive culture by visiting FAW factory areas, the Changchun International Automobile Park, the FAW Hongqi Exhibition Hall, and FAW sedan production lines.
Second is the Film Culture Tour. At China’s first world-class film theme park—Changchun Film Century City—visitors can experience cutting-edge global filmmaking culture and special effects. The newly opened Changchun Film Studio Museum comprehensively documents the development of the Changchun Film Studio, serving as a concentrated showcase of Changchun’s film culture.
Third is the Warning Culture Tour. Key sites include the former palace of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who served as the emperor of the puppet Manchukuo—now the Puppet Manchukuo Palace Museum, one of China’s first 5A-level tourist attractions, displaying a wealth of precious historical relics. Along Changchun’s main streets, you can also visit remnants of the puppet Manchukuo era, such as the “Eight Ministries” and the Japanese Kwantung Army Headquarters, as well as the government offices of the puppet Manchukuo State, forming a unique warning culture tourism product.
Fourth is the Sculpture Art Tour. Visitors can admire sculpture art represented by the Changchun World Sculpture Park and numerous urban sculptures.
From Changchun, you can also easily visit nearby cities to experience the ice and snow beauty of the Guandong region. Examples include the winter scenery of Changbai Mountain—one of China’s top ten famous mountains—the high-end Changbai Mountain Wanda International Resort, the beautiful Jilin rime ice spectacle, and the “Fish Leaping from Ice Lake” fame of Songyuan Chagan Lake’s winter fishing. You can also experience the folk customs and specialty cuisine of the Yanbian Korean ethnic group. Changchun has become an essential gateway and first stop for appreciating the ice and snow beauty of Jilin.
Poems describe Changchun as: “An icy paradise beyond the frontier, where noble orchids welcome guests and sails of Changchun bid you farewell.” The people of Changchun, as gentle and refined as scholars, are peaceful, warm-hearted, and sincerely invite friends from all over to visit Changchun, experience the “Eight Winter Scenic Spots of Changchun,” feel the warmth of this green and livable city, and enjoy the dynamic charm of the urban landscape!
Note: Introduction to the 2015 China Changchun Jingyue Lake Vasaloppet International Skiing Festival events
The China Changchun Jingyue Lake Vasaloppet International Skiing Festival originated from the 90-year-old Swedish Vasaloppet Ski Festival. In 2003, it officially settled in Changchun’s Jingyue Lake, giving birth to a large-scale comprehensive festival that integrates sports, tourism, culture, and trade, themed “Passion Vasaloppet, Charming Jingyue.” The Vasaloppet skiing race itself has become the largest cross-country skiing event in Asia, renowned both at home and abroad.
In June 2014, China’s Vasaloppet stepped out of Asia and was officially accepted as a member by Worldloppet, the world’s largest and highest-level long-distance cross-country skiing organization. For the first time, the Chinese flag was added among Worldloppet’s 20 member countries. Since then, China became the only country among the new members to be unanimously approved, and the Jingyue Lake Vasaloppet became the second Asian event to join the organization!
The Worldloppet organization, officially known as the World Long Distance Cross-Country Skiing Organization, is affiliated with the International Ski Federation (FIS). Founded in Sweden in 1978, it is the world’s largest and highest-level long-distance cross-country skiing circuit, wielding extraordinary influence and appeal in the global cross-country skiing community. The organization includes 20 skiing events held in 20 countries, including China, with each country allowed only one qualifying cross-country skiing race as a member event. These events span Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia, attracting over 130,000 professional skiers and skiing enthusiasts from around the world to participate in its series of races each year. Successfully joining the ranks of the world’s top long-distance cross-country skiing events marks another historic leap for China’s Vasaloppet. It heralds new development opportunities in expanding the scale and enhancing the influence of the event!
The 2015 Changchun Jingyue Lake Vasaloppet International Skiing Festival is the first year China’s Vasaloppet has joined Worldloppet. To achieve new breakthroughs in scale, level, and quality, the organizing committee has significantly enhanced international participation and technical professionalism in areas such as event organization, athlete recruitment, marketing, and technical standards.
This year’s Vasaloppet has carefully designed seven events tailored to different groups, including the 4th National University Students’ Cross-Country Skiing Race, the Luming Valley 2015 China Vasaloppet International Cross-Country Skiing Short-Distance Elite Race, the China Vasaloppet 50km Race & FIS Long-Distance Points Race, the 25km Blueberry Vasaloppet Race, the Student Skiing Race, the Children’s Vasaloppet Race, and the Vasaloppet Public Fun Race. These events provide not only the best competitive platform for top domestic and international cross-country skiers but also opportunities for skiing enthusiasts and the general public to participate in an international event.
In terms of athlete recruitment, nearly 400 foreign athletes have registered for the 50km long-distance skiing race so far, including more than ten world champion cross-country skiers and nearly a hundred professional athletes registered with FIS. The Chinese Ski Association is also actively organizing domestic and other Asian professional athletes to participate. It is expected that on the opening day, over 10,000 professional athletes and skiing enthusiasts from more than 30 countries and regions will start the race together. At that time, cross-country skiing enthusiasts from around the world will gather in Changchun to share this “speed and passion” ice and snow extravaganza.
In terms of event technology, the Changchun Vasaloppet Organizing Committee has made great efforts to align with international standards. Following the requirements of Worldloppet, the internationally certified 16.7km course has been extended to 25km. The course starts amid spectacular snow sculpture displays, winds through the snow-blanketed forests and fields of Jingyue Lake, and finishes in front of the 25-meter-high, 80-meter-long “Goddess of Jingyue” main snow sculpture in this year’s ski festival snow sculpture park. The new course greatly enhances the event’s visual appeal and competitive experience. Additionally, technical representatives from Worldloppet will oversee track quality, timing systems, and other technical aspects throughout the festival to ensure that this year’s event delivers a world-class ice and snow sports experience for skiing enthusiasts worldwide.
The sub-events of this year’s Vasaloppet are even more exciting. All domestic and international cross-country skiing enthusiasts are warmly welcome to participate and find your own perfect cross-country skiing race among them.