Icy lake's traditional 'conquerors' reap rich harvest

Before dawn on Dec 28, Zhang Wen and his team drove en masse out onto the frigid, icy expanse of Chagan Lake in Songyuan in Northeast China's Jilin province. Sheepskin hats and coats were their protection against the subfreezing temperature of -26 C.

Zhang and his 52 men drilled the thick ice. Then they carefully cast a large net into a hole in the ice. It took almost five hours.

At noon, they pulled the net full of fish out of the water. Zhang's team was one of the four fishing that day.

Fishing on frozen Chagan Lake is an ancient tradition that dates back to the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234).

A fisherman shovels his catch onto frozen Chagan Lake in Songyuan, Jilin province, on Jan 1. Qiao Qiming / For China Daily

Winter is believed to be the best time to harvest fish that are the most delicious, according to Cao Baoming, a Jilin-based folklorist.

The name Chagan, Mongolian in origin, means sacred, white or pure. So the lake is also referred to as Holy Water Lake. It is a freshwater body that covers more than 500 square kilometers - one of the 10 biggest freshwater lakes in China.

The winter fishing season starts in the middle of December each year and ends in the middle of the following January, when the local temperatures can be as low as -45 C. Fish freeze as soon as they are out of the water.

On the coldest days of winter, the ice on the lake, which has an average depth of 1.5 to 2 meters, can be 1 m thick. This drives fish into an area of water only 0.5 to 1 m deep and makes fishing with large nets quite easy.

Fishermen around Chagan Lake, who can earn an annual income of 100,000 yuan ($14,700) to 200,000 yuan, have upheld the ancient fishing practices. No machinery is used, horses operate primitive wooden winches to draw in the nets, and the hauls of fish - mostly carp - can be enormous.

During the fishing season, fishermen harvest more than 1 million kilograms of fish. The fishing spectacle attracts many tourists each year and makes the lake a popular tourist destination in winter.

Over a period of about two cold months, the lake becomes a giant marketplace as people arrive from far and wide to buy fish for Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 5 this year.

In 2016, the lake set a mark recognized by Guinness World Records with a single net yield of 260 metric tons of fish.

The largest fish in the first catch each year is believed to be the most auspicious and is often auctioned off for big money - a record 999,999 yuan this year. The fisherman who catches it is considered to have a prosperous year ahead.

The huge nets are designed so that only fully grown adult fish are caught, which will ensure the future of the supply chain.

Fisherman Zhang, 56, is one of the 20th generation of chief fishers, also known as "conquerors of the lake". A "conqueror" is usually in charge of a team of around 60 fishermen. Chief fishers are the most experienced in their groups and determine the fishing site based on their observation of the depth of the lake and features beneath the ice. Their teammates then drill holes and use ice picks to thread vast nets through minute holes underneath the ice and form "fish enclosures".

At a grand ceremony in Songyuan on Dec 28 to show gratitude for the bounty of food, fishermen also blessed the huge nets they use during the winter fishing season.

Songyuan Mayor Wang Zilian is proud of the lake that, in his words, has been magnificent for thousands of years.

But that is not the whole story of the lake.

Chagan Lake almost dried up in the 1960s and '70s. Salt accumulated in the lake and on adjoining farmland.

Zhang recalled that many local fishermen and farmers left the area for better places, and those who had to stay made a living by collecting and selling salt.

"We did not expect Chagan Lake would come back to life," he said.

In 1984, the water of the Songhuajiang River was diverted to Chagan Lake. Since then, the local government has attached great importance to protecting the lake, including planting trees and grass in the areas surrounding it.

Its efforts have borne fruit. Now the lake has more than 68 kinds of fish, including carp and chub. The area is also home to such birds as red-crowned cranes, Eurasian spoonbills, white swans and pheasants, as well as hares and foxes.

Now fishermen keep nature in mind when fishing from Chagan Lake in order to preserve the tradition for generations to come. The amount of fish that can be caught is capped annually to avoid draining the lake, ensuring that there will be fish for years to come. Only four fishing teams are allowed to work every day during the winter fishing season.

In addition, money from the fish auction has been invested in protecting the lake and surrounding areas, according to Xiao Huichao, former deputy director of the tourism department of Qianguo Mongolian autonomous county.

During the summer, local authorities closely monitor the lake's water quality, and private fishing without permission is strictly prohibited.

"The companies bid for the biggest fish in consideration of protecting Chagan Lake and the winter fishing tradition," Xiao said.

In 2008, winter fishing at Chagan Lake was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, the experienced "conquerors" of Chagan Lake are taking a dozen young fishermen as their apprentices so they can pass their fishing techniques to the next generation.

A fisherman uses horses to operate a wooden winch to draw in nets on Chagan Lake in Songyuan, Jilin province, on Jan 1. Qiao Qiming / For China Daily