Hot springs gain steam in icy northeastern China

SHENYANG — As the golden hue of dusk washed across the sky, Xu Xin wrapped up her day of skiing at a Changbai Mountain resort in Jilin province, and headed for a bath in an outdoor hot spring.

"The combination of chilly weather and a hot spring is an experience. I immersed my body in steamy water while watching snowflakes fall on a pristine white landscape. Eventually, my fatigue dissolved," says Xu, who is from Shandong province.

Recently, this fusion of "hot and cold" has been gaining popularity on the itineraries of winter tourists flocking to China's northeastern provinces, namely Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang.