Each winter, Chagan Lake in northeast China comes alive with an ancient tradition. As the lake freezes over, fishermen return to the ice, drawing visitors from across China and even abroad to witness a spectacular winter harvest.

At the heart of the event is the season's first catch, which is ceremonially brought ashore and auctioned. This year, it sold for 1,699,999 yuan (roughly $243,000) drawing wide attention.

Located in Jilin Province, Chagan Lake is one of China's major freshwater lakes. Its winter fishing tradition dates back centuries and is now recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage item of China.