Chinese "ice city" heats up for real!

The Point with Liu Xin

A city known for its freezing winters has now become the hottest internet celebrity city in China. Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang Province, finds itself in overwhelming fame since mid-December last year and has become a top choice for tourists from around China. During the three-day New Year holiday, the city received over 3 million visitors, generating more than $800 million in revenue, exceeding pre-COVID levels. What can explain such a phenomenon? What does it say about the changes taking place in Chinese society? Are we going to witness more cities going viral in the future?