At the Diantou Ancient Castle scenic area near Taiyuan in Shanxi Province, northern China, visitors are flocking to see a towering icefall that stretches roughly 100 metres along the hillside. Sheets of frozen water hang from slopes, cliffs, and tree branches, catching the sunlight in shifting, jewel-like colours and creating a dramatic winter spectacle.

The ice formations are man-made, using spring water channelled down the mountain, but their scale and colour are tied to local ecological recovery. Locals say the spring, once nearly dry, has returned in recent years; its mineral-rich waters — relatively high in sulfur and iron — freeze into distinctively hued ice that draws crowds each winter.

Relying on this natural gift, the scenic area has created winter ice features for more than a decade. Combined with the area’s 2,500-year history and a programme of ice-based entertainment, the installations have helped turn the ancient village into a growing winter tourism destination.