Where winter takes shape

People visit the area throughout the year to explore its jutting karsts and yawning caves, and to float on boats that ply its underground rivers. They also ride a massive mountainside escalator shaped like a dragon (long qing translates as "dragon celebration") that has become an icon on the iconic destination.

Longqing's landscapes have endowed it with such nicknames as the "Little Three Gorges" and the "Little Li River", in reference to the celebrated scenic area in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. And its winter festival is hailed as the "Little Harbin Ice Festival", in reference to the annual event in Heilongjiang province's capital, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The festival actually shines brightest at night, when the ice burns with blazing multihued lights, creating a truly otherworldly aura.