A group of 30 Mongolian fishermen are scheduled to be invited to Beijing’s Jinhai Lake from January 15 to 23, to practice their traditional winter fishing method, manager of the Jinhai Lake told China.org.cn on Sunday.
An initial test run will take place on January 15 and a formal practice will be implemented on January 23. Visitors can buy a ticket at the price of 30 yuan to witness the 1,000-year-old fishing method first-hand. After the fishing, visitors can have a taste of the elaborate fish banquets in nearby restaurants.
All 30 fishermen hail from Chagan Lake, a traditional Mongolian habitat which is known for its traditional winter fishing that actually dates back to prehistoric times.
Chagan Lake is the place that has safeguarded the oldest Mongolia fishing method. Even today, local fishermen still use the same tools as their ancestors did.
Fishermen first drill a number of holes in the thick ice and then place nets under the ice surface.
Their unique skills are now listed as one of China’s many intangible cultural heritages. The Lake set a Guinness World Record for a single fish net in 2008, raking in 168,000 kg of fish.
The net is about 2 meters in width, but 2,000 meters in length. With these massive measurements, to keep it stretched out properly, fishermen need to drill a hole every 15 meters. The net is so heavy that horses have to be used to transport it or put it in place.
2013 Xinhua, english.news.cn