In mid-February, a striking natural phenomenon unfolded in the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As temperatures began to rise, large patches of crocus alatavicus, a nationally protected second-level plant known locally as "ice-top flowers," were seen pushing through the melting snow to bloom. The white petals and yellow stamens created a vivid contrast against the remaining snow, marking an unusually early spring in the northern Tianshan region – arriving about half a month earlier than in previous years.