In Liaoning, a province in northeast China, spring lingers in the chill of March. Amid ice and snow, the ice lotus, often called the “snow lotus of the forest,” is the first to break through the frozen ground. With its resilient golden hue, it quietly opens the door to spring.

Classified as a national second class protected plant, the ice lotus is a rare treasure. Yet every March and April, it blooms across Liaoning’s landscapes at Guanmen Mountain, Lüshi Valley, Fenglin Valley, Dabinggou, and beyond, painting a stunning portrait of early spring. Delicate green sepals cradle golden blossoms that gleam against the melting snow, like gilded spirits sculpted by nature herself.

As the spring breeze warms and new life stirs in the soil, Liaoning welcomes travelers to wander its wooded hills and embrace this seasonal encounter, to witness the beauty of life breaking through ice and to celebrate the magnificent arrival of spring in the north.