China's largest indoor ski field recently officially opened in Chengde City, Hebei Province, north China, about 100 km northeast of Beijing, the national capital.

The indoor ski field, which cost over 20 million yuan (2.4 million US dollars) and began trial operations on May 1, 2002, is in a man-made cave, covering an area of 5,000 sq. m.

The ski lane is 120 meters long, 14 meters wide and 7 meters high with an elevation of eight degrees.

In addition to skiing, there are also other snow sports, such as ski-cycling, and baby ski-bobbing.

Many exquisite ice sculpture and snow sculpture works are on display - all made from natural pollution-free ice.

Chengde is home to the well-known "Bishushanzhuang", the imperial summer resort of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

( Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2002)