In Beitun city, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where the snow season lasts for more than five months, ice sports such as speed skating and cross-country skiing have become regular activities in primary and secondary school physical education classes.

The 181st Regiment Middle School in Beitun has a standard ice rink with a 400-meter skating track and a snow area with a 3-kilometer professional cross-country skiing track. Principal Wang Yongji said that all students have at least two ice and snow sports classes per week. The school has eight teachers who offer professional speed skating and cross-country skiing training to more than 350 young students each year.

Luo Jiayuan contributed to this story.