Beijing, May 6 (Youth.cn) - On May 5, 2025, in Zhangye, Gansu, following an unexpected heavy snowfall, the Shandan Horse Ranch nestled at the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains transformed into a winter wonderland. Snow-capped peaks towered above vast grasslands blanketed in pristine white, where herders hauled water by vehicle to tend to their yaks.

Coinciding with the traditional Chinese solar term of Lixia (Beginning of Summer), a cold front swept through the region in the early hours, draping the undulating ridges of the Qilian Mountains in thick snow. Flurries of snowflakes, resembling flocks of white butterflies, swirled across the sky before settling over the alpine meadows. Below the mountains, herds of cattle, horses, and sheep roamed and grazed across the snow-dusted plains, painting a surreal tableau of summer snowscape on the plateau. Photo/CFP