Chagan Lake in northeastern China's Jilin Province, with pure clear water covering 500 square kilometers, is home to over 60 varieties of fish, served on dining tables near and far especially during the annual winter fishing season.

For local fishermen like 58-year-old Zhang Wen, who has been working as a crew leader there for decades, the lake is a gift from nature.

Throughout the past 10 years, their centuries-old fishing custom has gained its fame, turning a small and poor fishing village into a renowned destination. But Zhang still remembers the old days when drought and overfishing almost destroyed the lake – and his livelihood.

The head of the fishing crew said they used to simply live on catching wild fish, and didn't have an understanding of sustainable fish farming. But now they put in fingerlings every year, or rather, they put in one million kilograms of the very small fish each year and then later on catch 1.5 million kilograms of fish.

"We also use 8-inch-mesh nets to let smaller fish go and just catch the larger ones, to keep the ecological balance," Zhang added.

The primitive Mongolian way of fishing handed down by their ancestors is still used at Chagan Lake today with some new twists.

Zhang said their fishing and hunting culture preserves the most ancient methods, using their own hands rather than machines, no matter in summer or winter. But he also said that new technologies have made their tools and work more convenient, like fishing nets made of polythene that is much lighter.

Unique folk culture and spectacular scenery now shine as attractions for throngs of visitors from around the country, intending to avoid the summer heat or to take part in the annual ice fishing festivities.

The increase in tourism and the lure of fish is pouring money into locals' pockets.

"You may have heard that there used to be no bricks or tiles at Chagan Lake. Now we not only have brick houses here, but also apartments in the city, and our own cars. That's why I say we are living a well-off moderately prosperous life," said Zhang Wen, who also told us that a fishery worker used to earn only a few hundred yuan, but now can make hundreds of thousands of yuan a year.

More fishermen, especially the youth, have also chosen to grab the new opportunities in accommodation, catering and farm produce. Qu Lijie, as one of them, decided to return to her home village after graduation and opened a restaurant featuring a Chagan Lake fish banquet.

"I think making money, with your parents by your side, and living in a lovely environment with birds and flowers, that is the moderately prosperous life I want – a kind of happiness," as Qu explained her ideally moderately prosperous life.

Despite the impact of the pandemic, the young restaurant owner still has full confidence in the future. She said all she had was just a small restaurant when she first came back, and then as the fishery business developed, they built an amusement park on the north side of the lake.

This year, they built a large cold storage that allows people all over the country to enjoy authentic Chagan Lake fish. What's more, they are also planting a vegetable garden so that customers can have a brand new farm experience when they visit.

Her regular customers, who are happy to pay the price for fresh fish from Chagan Lake, have also seen progress over the years, saying that since President Xi visited Chagan Lake, the surroundings have become more beautiful, the culture is now paying tribute to traditions and even restaurant dishes are tastier.

While life used to be hard, for the younger generation, working up a sweat on a fishing boat is no longer their only option. "Instead, it's time for us to taste the sweetness of life," said Qu Lijie.