In the crystal clear air of the far north of China, where darkness takes over 17 hours of every winter day, an extraordinary natural phenomenon has practically transformed the sky.
Beiji Village, located in the city of Mohe, Heilongjiang province, popularly called the “North Pole of China”, became nature’s stage for a rare double display: a sunbeam dancing in partnership with diamond dust.
Against the blue arctic sky, a ring of light surrounds the winter sun. Below, stretching toward the snow-covered land, a white pillar of light pierces the frigid air with rainbow hues — commonly known as “sun dogs.”
This rare convergence of optical phenomena emerged just as Vila Beiji was preparing for Dongzhi, the traditional Chinese winter solstice festival, which took place on Saturday (21).
With the opening event featuring “boiling water instantly turning into ice in the air” due to freezing temperatures, the Mohe Dongzhi Festival is now underway. Thousands of residents and tourists gathered in the village to celebrate the annual festivities.
The celebration mixes traditional customs, such as drinking lamb soup and eating dumplings, with modern ice and snow presentations and attractions. The brief seven hours of sunlight make such displays even more eagerly awaited.
As winter tourism continues to thrive in the north, Beiji Village has become an increasingly popular destination for travelers.
also known as “Dongzhi” in Chinese, is the 22nd of the 24 Solar Terms in the Chinese lunar calendar. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year.
On this day, the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, making the short periods of daylight and long nights especially notable for people living in the Northern Hemisphere.
