When Changbai Awakens from Ice

As Changbai Mountain begins to thaw, the summit still holds winter’s lingering chill. The frozen lake quietly fractures, revealing deep blue waters beneath the sunlight. Snowlines remain, yet the mountain wind grows softer with the promise of spring. Meltwater gathers in the forest, tracing gentle paths over stone. Ice yields to water in a silent, solemn exchange. Standing among the peaks, one feels the quiet stirring of renewal, as if spring itself were awakening from the heart of the earth.