Even as temperatures kept dropping in China’s northeastern “ice city” of Harbin, excitement rose among a group of swimmers who enjoy jumping into freezing waters. 

尽管中国东北“冰城”哈尔滨的气温持续下降，一群喜欢跳入冰冷水域的游泳者却兴奋不已。 

The daily event, known as ice swimming, is a winter tradition in Harbin. Swimmers train daily throughout the year to get their bodies ready for the unusual swim. Reporters from The Associated Press recently visited the city and spoke with some of the swimmers. 

这项每日活动被称为冰泳，是哈尔滨的冬季传统活动。游泳运动员全年每天都进行训练，让身体为不同寻常的游泳做好准备。美联社记者最近访问了这座城市并与一些游泳运动员进行了交谈。 

To create a pool in the Songhua River, the swimmers first had to break a 10-centimeter thick cover of ice. Then they removed the ice pieces, took off all clothes except bathing suits and prepared to enter. One by one, they jumped into a freezing, 10-meter-long pool. 

为了在松花江上建造一个水池，游泳者首先必须打破10厘米厚的冰层。然后他们把冰块拿掉，脱掉除泳衣外的所有衣服，准备进去。他们一一跳进了十米长的冰冷水池中。

Some of the swimmers reported that their legs and arms quickly went numb after entering the water. The outside temperature was about minus 13 degrees Celsius and the water temperature remained near freezing. 

一些游泳者反映，入水后他们的腿和手臂很快就麻木了。室外温度约为-13摄氏度，水温保持在冰点附近。 

One of the swimmers was Chen Xia. She came from Zhejiang province about 1,700 kilometers further south. She decided to jump into the river even though she had a cold. Chen said the winter waters where she lives are warmer than those in Harbin. 

其中一名游泳运动员是陈霞。她来自更南约1700公里的浙江省。尽管感冒了，她还是决定跳进河里。陈女士说，她居住的冬天水域比哈尔滨温暖。 

She said the experience strengthened her confidence in winter swimming. She has been taking part in the activity for about 20 years. 

她说，这次经历增强了她对冬泳的信心。她参加这项活动已有约20年了。

The 56-year-old Chen said the freezing waters made her skin feel like small pins were attacking her body. But, she added that the experience still brought her happiness. “I felt prickling all over my body. But it still made me feel blissful,” she said. 

56岁的陈女士说，冰冷的海水让她的皮肤感觉就像小针在攻击她的身体。但她补充说，这段经历仍然给她带来了快乐。“我感觉全身都在刺痛。但它仍然让我感到幸福，”她说。

Yu Xiaofeng lives in Harbin, a city that sits near the border with Russia. The 61-year-old said winter swimming in the city dates back to the 1970s. At that time, locals saw Russian Orthodox religious believers being baptized in the river. Later in 1983, an official winter swimming group was established in Harbin. 

于晓峰住在靠近俄罗斯边境的哈尔滨市。这位 61 岁的老人说，这座城市的冬泳历史可以追溯到 20 世纪 70 年代。当时，当地人看到俄罗斯东正教信徒在河里接受洗礼。1983年晚些时候，哈尔滨正式成立了冬泳团体。

The city also holds an ongoing winter celebration known for its huge, detailed ice and snow sculptures. 

该市还持续举办冬季庆祝活动，以其巨大而细致的冰雪雕塑而闻名。

Winter swimming is considered a sport in China. But it gained popularity much faster in Harbin than in other parts of the country. Today, Yu said the city is considered a “holy land” for winter swimming. 

冬泳在中国被认为是一项运动。但它在哈尔滨的普及速度比全国其他地区要快得多。如今，于说，这座城市被认为是冬泳的“圣地”。 

Yu said the winter swimmers appear to have better health than others. She added that she has felt a great sense of family and joy in the community during her 30 years of winter swimming. 

于说，冬泳运动员的健康状况似乎比其他人要好。她补充说，在30年的冬泳生涯中，她感受到了巨大的家庭感和社区的快乐。

While the AP reporters did not quote medical experts for this story, some of the swimmers said they believe ice swimming is good for their health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group even came up with a new saying to describe the experience. They would rather “suffer through winter swimming than line up at the hospital,” Yu said.

虽然美联社记者没有引用医学专家的话，但一些游泳者表示，他们相信冰泳对健康有益。在新冠肺炎疫情期间，该组织甚至想出了一句新话来描述这种体验。他们宁愿“忍受冬泳的痛苦，也不愿在医院排队”，余说。

You Decang is a 76-year-old winter swimmer who said he believes the activity helps keep him healthy. He noted that he has never caught a cold. You added, “If I go just one day without winter swimming, I feel quite uncomfortable.” 

尤德仓是一位 76 岁的冬泳运动员，他说他相信这项活动有助于保持健康。他指出，他从未感冒过。你补充道，“如果有一天不去冬泳，我就会感觉很不舒服。”