Wusong Island and the Songhua River Rime

Islands On The Songhua River Known For Winter Rime Ice, One Of The Four Great Natural Wonders Of China · Jilin City, Jilin

A stretch of the Songhua River downstream of Jilin City where one of the strangest winter sights in China appears on the coldest mornings. Water released from the Fengman reservoir stays just above freezing, so the river runs open through a landscape at minus twenty or below; the mist rising off it freezes onto every twig, reed and willow branch along the banks, building feathery white crystals that can grow finger-deep overnight. Local people call it wusong, and it is counted among the four great natural wonders of China. Wusong Island, a low island in the river reached by ferry or ice road, has the densest willow groves and is where photographers gather before dawn, waiting for the sun to rise through frosted trees and the mist to lift off the water. The rime usually forms overnight and falls from the branches by late morning, so the whole spectacle is a matter of a few hours. Villages on the island offer kang-heated rooms and river fish hotpot, and the season runs roughly from late December to February.

Wusong Island, Han Tun, Jilin City, Jilin City, Jilin, China

Winter season only, roughly late December to February; rime is viewed from dawn to about 10:00 and does not form every day.

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