Snow Falls on Yabuli: Planting Southerners' Winter Dreams in the Forest and Snowfield

When the frosty wind sweeps past the banks of the Songhua River, Southerners' obsession with snow takes root—that is the imagination of "thousands of pear trees blooming" from textbooks, the childhood longing for the crunch of snow underfoot in cartoons, ultimately seeking a tangible world in Harbin's winter days. If the ice sculptures on Central Street are the city's exquisite footnotes, and the dome of St. Sophia Cathedral hides exotic charm, then Yabuli, reachable by high-speed train within an hour from the city, is a secret realm that brings the "Frozen" fairy tale into reality and is the spiritual homeland of skiing in China.

The snow here is deeply engraved in time. As the cradle of skiing in China, Yabuli’s slopes carry over half a century of ice and snow memories—from the earliest professional training bases to today's world-class resorts, every falling snowflake seems to tell the story of the Chinese people's embrace of ice and snow. The slopes stretch through the forest sea; the beginner trails are like gentle arms, allowing novices to slowly explore to the sound of pine waves, feeling the subtle friction between skis and snow; the intermediate trails wind through birch forests, where the wind through the branches brings whispers like forest spirits; the advanced trails shoot straight up the mountain peak, with snow crystals shining in the sunlight on steep slopes, waiting for advanced skiers to challenge the wind and snow with speed, leaving worries and fears behind.

Winter joy is never just about skiing. On the forest path in the afternoon, horse-drawn sleds slowly tread the snow, horse hooves and sled tracks weaving delicate patterns on the snowfield, the driver’s shouts mixed with jingling bells drifting over knee-deep snow—a most rustic winter prelude of Northeast China. Changing into gear and riding a snowmobile, the engine roars as you rush into the vast white wilderness, the wind wrapped in snowflakes hitting your face, cool yet exhilarating, with nothing in sight but the pure white where sky meets earth and the distant rolling mountain shadows. Snow tubing hides childlike delight—sitting on a rubber ring sliding down the snowy slope, the weightless screams and laughter startle birds perched on branches, scattering a mist of snow.

As dusk falls, lights gradually come on in the forest sea. No need to worry about accommodation at this time; Yabuli Warm Residence Villas are nestled in the gentle folds of this snowfield—opening the window reveals snow-laden pine branches, inside the stove burns firewood, and the air is filled with the scent of pine and hot tea. Shedding the cold, curling up on a soft sofa, listening to the wind and snow whisper outside the window, reminiscing about the day's speed on the slopes and play in the forest, you understand the leisure and comfort of "When the evening comes and snow is about to fall, can I have a drink?"

This winter, no need to let your obsession with snow remain just imagination. Come to Yabuli, step on the snow, chase the wind, seek your dreams, let every snowflake become a footnote to your story, and the Warm Residence Villas will keep a warm light for this ice and snow journey.

Post by OTIS FORD | Oct 25, 2025