Thousands of visitors are flocking to a naturally occurring ice circle in a frozen river in Liaoning Province on New Year’s Day. /Photo via CCTV news.

Some who stand on the rotating circle believe it is an omen of good fortune. /Photo via CCTV news.

Ice circles are a fairly rare phenomenon that occurs mostly in North America and Scandinavia. The circle forms in slow moving waters at a low temperature. /Photo via CCTV news.

The accelerated flow of water in a part of the river produces a force called "rotary shear," cutting off the ice and slowly rotating the ice. /Photo via CCTV news.