Shenyang boasts long history in ice sports

Shenyang, capital city of Northeast China’s Liaoning province, has a long and fascinating history when it comes to sports and fun games on ice, according to Tong Yue, a former researcher at the Shenyang Palace Museum.

Fun activities on ice were especially popular during the Spring Festival in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), according to Tong, who has spent years conducting research into Qing era history and culture, Qing imperial history, Manchu ethnic group history and culture and local Shenyang culture.

Tong said the people of the Manchu ethnic group had lived a long time in northeastern China, with its sometimes bitterly cold weather and long winters, so to relax they invented various sports on ice which evolved over time.

People initially tied animal bones to their feet to skate, and then iron bars, which were early forms of modern ice skates.

Manchu ethnic group people also developed many solutions to living in the cold – including protective clothing, ice fishing and transportation that is effective for traversing ice and snow.

They also gradually developed fun games and sports competitions in ice and snow, ice and snow sculptures, painting, tourism and a winter economy, according to Tong.

Ice skating, aerobatics on ice, football games on ice, skiing and various other pursuits are still popular nowadays among Shenyang locals, he added.

Shenyang locals skate at Beiling Park on Dec 2. More and more locals choose to do winter sports to keep fit. [Photo by Zhang Wenkui/Shenyang Daily]