The national finals of guandan, a Chinese card game tournament organized by Ningxia Shahu Tourism, concluded recently in Shizuishan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Since the commencement of the competition on Dec 9, nearly a million fans of the Chinese card game have participated in preliminary matches online and offline. Over 200 contestants advanced to the finals.

The finalists enjoyed themselves at Shahu Lake on Jan 14. They indulged in specialties like hot pot with wild-caught fish, experienced the joy of brewing tea around a warm stove, took photos and had fun on the snowy grounds.

Sun Yulu from Zhejiang province said: "This trip has been quite rewarding. It's my first time participating in the national finals of guandan in the Northwest, my first visit to Shahu Lake, my first time playing in the snow, and my first experience of enjoying hot pot and tea on a cruise ship. These first-time experiences have brought me unprecedented joy in the winter."

Yang Zishuo contributed to this story.