A Winter Trip to Zhalong National Nature Reserve to See the Dancing Cranes

I first learned about Zhalong National Nature Reserve in the eighth grade, when I read about it in Unit 6 ("Birdwatching") of my Yilin Press English textbook. Back then, English was nothing but endless vocabulary lists and texts to memorize—a truly torturous experience. But even so, the name "Zhalong" planted a seed of curiosity in my mind. Years later, I ended up attending university in Northeast China, and to my surprise, my path crossed with Zhalong once again. Determined to make the most of my weekend, I set off from Shenyang on a Friday evening, heading north for over 700 kilometers, just to see this magical place with my own eyes. I wanted to experience the vastness of the Songnen Plain and witness the fairy-like red-crowned cranes in the wetlands. After arriving at Qiqihar Station, I opted for the most affordable transportation: the No. 306 bus from the station square. A round trip costs only RMB 20, and it takes about an hour to reach Zhalong National Nature Reserve. If you're a student, don't forget your student ID—you can get half-price tickets! With the round-trip shuttle bus ticket inside the reserve, the total cost is just RMB 52.5, which is incredibly budget-friendly. I visited during winter, when most of the red-crowned cranes had already migrated south to Yancheng, Jiangsu for the colder months. The cranes that remained in the reserve were mostly young birds that weren't yet ready to survive in the wild. But there was no need to worry about the number of cranes. Looking around, I could still see many of these graceful creatures moving about, their elegant forms contrasting beautifully with the snowy landscape, like a painting come to life. Every day at 10:00 am, 12:30 pm, and 3:00 pm, there's a wild crane release activity where you can watch staff feed the cranes before these elegant spirits take to the skies, a truly spectacular sight.