# Ice fishing on the Chagan Lake

Place: Songyuan, Jilin province

The Chagan Lake in Songyuan city is one of the largest freshwater lakes in China, known for its age-old tradition of ice fishing.

For centuries, fishermen and women living by the lake have kept alive the tradition of hand-drilling holes through the thick ice and using nets to catch the fish below. The technique has now been declared a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

A fishing-themed festival is held every winter on the lake to celebrate the tradition, and features a wide range of cultural activities.