Yellow River News Network, Jincheng (Reporter Shang Dongxia) — On January 5, the inaugural Shanxi Provincial Ice and Snow Carnival and Ice and Snow Consumption Season (Jincheng Station), featuring the China Lingchuan · Austrian Ice and Snow Culture Carnival, commenced at the Rainbow Taihang Cloud Ski Resort in Lingchuan County, Jincheng City.
Located at the southernmost peak of the Taihang Mountains, Lingchuan County boasts an average annual temperature of 7.9°C, making it an ideal destination for summer retreats and winter sports. Riding the wave of the “post-Winter Olympics era” and national initiatives to develop the ice and snow economy, the county leveraged its ecological and climatic advantages to proactively adapt to winter tourism demands. Lingchuan County proactively adapts to winter tourism demands by vigorously advancing ice and snow venue construction. By attracting private investment, it pioneered the Seven-Color Taihang Cloud Ski Resort—the largest, highest-quality, most immersive, and longest-operating facility in Central China. This attraction draws skiers nationwide, effectively filling the winter tourism gap in Southern Taihang and revitalizing year-round tourism.
Following the opening ceremony, a series of high-level winter sports events commenced simultaneously, including the Rainbow Taihang Snowboard Park International Invitational and the 11th National Mass Winter Sports Season & Mass Ski Competition. Beijing Winter Olympics silver medalist Daniela Urbín and numerous star athletes from the national ski team competed on the same stage. World champions, Olympic silver medalists, and international and domestic star athletes will showcase their talents here!
Led by the “China-Austria Winter Sports Culture Carnival,” Lingchuan County's 2025 Winter Tourism Season runs from January 5 to February 28, spanning nearly two months. Over ten sub-events will unfold simultaneously across multiple locations, creating a comprehensive winter tourism extravaganza!
During the event, visitors will experience distinctive folk parades showcasing Chinese and Austrian traditions, captivating cultural performances from Vienna—the world's music capital—and authentic Alpine cuisine brought directly from the distant Alps. The lineup includes the Snowland Electro Music Festival igniting winter passion, the mesmerizing Aurora Light Show, and the creatively dazzling large-scale drone display. Lingchuan County simultaneously launched cultural and tourism consumption activities across its territory, featuring themed lanterns, dragon and lion dances, bonfire folk performances, and diverse folk experiences. Rich in tradition and ceremonial atmosphere, visitors can truly experience “Celebrating the New Year in the Taihang Mountains”!
Co-hosting this winter carnival with Carinthia, Austria—the birthplace of modern skiing—signifies the county's proactive exploration of integrated development and international collaboration. Both parties expressed intent to establish further synergistic partnerships in cultural exchange, sporting events, and wellness tourism.
During the event, Lingchuan County grandly unveiled its top ten winter tourist attractions and six themed travel routes. The Taihang Mountains Wangmangling Scenic Area, Taihang Xiyagou National Tourism Resort, Colorful Taihang Snow Tourism Resort, Huangweishan Scenic Area, Free Wilderness Mountain Sports Resort Park, Jincui Zhanghe Tourist Scenic Area, Ancient Post Station Zheshui Tourist Scenic Area, Haomeng Song Temple, Chong'an Temple, and Xixi Erxian Temple. Six themed itineraries were unveiled: Snow Sports Adventure, Snow Play Fun Tour, Snowy Self-Drive Tour, Folk Culture Exploration, Ancient Architecture Trail, and Taihang Mountain Scenery Tour. Additionally, focusing on “eating, lodging, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment,” the event featured nearly 100 boutique homestays, nearly 100 varieties of “Lingchuan cuisine,” and dozens of Austrian product exhibition stores. It also distributed 5 million yuan worth of winter tourism consumption vouchers covering accommodation, dining, retail, skiing, and more to tourists via platforms like UnionPay QuickPass, Ctrip, Meituan, and Douyin.
This event is hosted by the Shanxi Provincial Sports Bureau and the Shanxi Provincial Department of Commerce, organized by the Jincheng Municipal Sports Bureau and the Jincheng Municipal Commerce Bureau, and co-organized by the Lingchuan Ecological Cultural Tourism Demonstration Zone Investment and Operation Company, Lingchuan County Rural Agriculture Investment and Development Co., Ltd., Shanxi Rainbow Taihang Snow Tourism Development Co., Ltd., the Austrian Carinthia Ski Association, and the Jincheng Municipal Foreign Exchange Association.