Mongolian ladies passed milk jerky to fishermen and lamas gave their offerings to the leader of the fishermen. All the tributes were placed on a desk and then nine incense sticks were set in three burners.

Fishermen dance the Chama, a ritual dance to expel evil spirits and to celebrate the victory against pagans. [Photo/chinajilin.com.cn]

Lamas danced the Chama — a religious dance to expel the evil spirits and to celebrate the victory against pagans — around the tribute table and chanted, after which the fishermen's leader picked up a glass of wine and knelt in front of the ice holes before shouting out a poem about worshipping the lake.

Then, fishermen and lamas practiced a ritual to wake up fairies on the fishing net to wish for an abundant harvest, which was inherited from the Khitay people who established the Liao dynasty.

Fishermen work together to pick fish out of the fishing net. [Photo/chinajilin.com.cn]