Breaking into Chaka Salt Lake in winter, the "Song of Ice and Snow" carved in salt sculptures touched my heart

I originally thought that winter at Chaka Salt Lake was only cold and white, until I saw the salt sculptures standing on the salt lake and understood what "stubborn art in ice and snow" really means—they are not wrapped in the warmth of sunlight like in summer; instead, under the contrast of cold wind and white snow, they exude a unique sharpness and solemnity, like a group of silver giants guarding the salt lake. Approaching the salt sculpture group, the first to shock me was the statue of Genghis Khan. The body built from salt crystals glows with a cold white light under the winter sun. The armor’s patterns and flowing robes are carved with sharp edges, and even the details of the mane are clearly visible. When the wind blows, salt grains occasionally fall, but it does not diminish the statue’s majesty at all, as if it is about to mount a horse and gallop across the salt lake at any moment. Walking along the boardwalk, there are salt sculptures like the Queen Mother of the West and the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, each carrying the romance of mythology. The best moment is after a fresh snowfall when a thin layer of snow covers the salt sculptures. The white of the salt and the white of the snow overlap but create layers due to their different textures. When the sunlight shines obliquely, the shadows of the salt sculptures are cast on the frozen salt lake, and even the shadows sparkle with crystal-like light. Every photo looks like a "fairy tale of ice and snow." Touching the salt sculptures, you can feel the rough surface, and your fingertips pick up salty grains—the truth is these artworks are formed entirely by the crystallization of salt and brine, with no extra reinforcement, yet they can stand firm in the northwest’s cold wind for many years. There are few tourists in winter, and standing beside the salt sculptures, you only hear the sound of the wind and your own heartbeat. At that moment, it feels like you can talk to these salt sculptures and hear them tell the story of the salt lake. Looking back when leaving, the salt sculpture group gradually shrinks on the vast salt lake but still exudes a spirit of defiance. It turns out that winter at Chaka Salt Lake is not only about the quiet beauty of the "Mirror of the Sky," but also about the grandeur of these salt sculptures "with salt as their bones and snow as their clothes," making you willingly endure a red nose from the cold for this winter-only beauty.