Wolong Winter Fishing Festival: Visitors share 17 tons of fish soup

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The Spring Festival travel rush kicked off on Monday with millions of Chinese heading to their hometowns to reunite with their families but there were some who were rushing toward something else.

At the Wolong Winter Fishing Festival in Kangping County, northeast China's Liaoning Province, thousands of visitors shared 17 tons of fish soup served in a giant 4.6-meter wide bowl.

Seventeen tons of fish soup was served in a 4.6-meter wide bowl during an ice fishing event at the Wolong Lake, northeast China's Liaoning Province. /CGTN Photo

Ice fishing at the Wolong Lake is an old winter ritual which is a fusion of folk customs and spectacular landscape. The event also offers visitors a taste of history dating back to the Liao Dynasty.

Chen Mingwei, a tourist, waited in the queue for over half-an-hour to grab a cup of the soup made of 888 fish. /CGTN Photo

The Liao Dynasty was founded by an ethnic minority called the Qidan who lived in the northeastern areas of China. In 916, a Qidan man named Yelu Abaoji established the Qidan Kingdom. The ice fishing tradition from the Liao Dynasty is still practiced in many parts of China's northeast, displaying the wisdom of mankind when trying to survive in the long and harsh winter.

Locals in traditional dresses perform dancing and singing as per the rituals of the Liao Dynasty. /CGTN Photo

More than 68.5 million rural people have been lifted out of poverty in China over the past five years. Which means that 37,000 people escaped poverty every single day. The national poverty rate fell from 10.2 to 3.1 percent, according to the government work report from 2018.

Liu Wenge, a historian, explains that winter fishing was the most important activity among the tribes. /CGTN Photo

Kangping County has been under the national poverty line for decades. But ice fishing festivals have helped in enhancing the area's tourism sector and thus, immensely contributing in poverty alleviation.

Some locals told CGTN that environmental protection is paying good dividends and with an improved eco-system of the lake thousands of visitors are attracted to the county every year.

Tourism growth has greatly helped alleviating poverty in Kangping County, northeast China's Liaoning Province. /CGTN Photo

The biggest fish caught on the first day of fishing was sold for 110,000 U.S. dollars (788,888 yuan) at an open-air auction. The money will be used for sponsoring the education of poor children in the county. The winter fishing season this year will last until the Spring Festival holiday.