Popular characters from traditional Chinese culture and history have been hitting the slopes at a ski resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, putting on a show of snow and fire that has captured national attention.
At the Vanke Songhua Lake Resort in the city, a ski club composed of amateurs and retired professional skiers has been staging unique night ski performances for the past few years. Most recently, the performers pull stunts on the snow while dressed in full costume, such as that of the Monkey King, a famous character from the celebrated Chinese classic, Journey to the West.
"We started filming our costumed ski performances in 2019. Later, many people suggested we make videos showing skiers dressed in traditional Chinese costumes. So, we began producing such videos," said Ding Ning, director of the ski club.
The group draws inspiration from works like Chinese classical literature, martial arts novels, and Beijing Opera for their costumes, sparing no attention to detail.
"The armor is completely made of metal and weighs nearly 30 kg. Each ski costume is tailored to match the specific height and weight of each performer," said Ding.
Since 2021, their videos have gained attention on short video platforms, with some performances even attracting coverage from foreign media.
"We want to introduce traditional Chinese culture to a broader audience through our costumed ski performances. In the future, we plan to incorporate other elements of intangible cultural heritage, such as fire pot shows, fire knife dances, and fire staff spinning into our performances on the ski slopes," said Ding.
Chinese ski club brings classical culture to life in eye-catching performances
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
