My first trip to mainland China gave me something I had waited my entire life to experience—the first snowfall I had ever seen. True to our cheerful chant of "Hep, Hep, Hubei" whenever someone called for a group photo, the trip became even more memorable for most of us in the group, many of whom had never seen snow before.
Experiencing Snow in Shennongjia and Finding My Connection to China
Leaving Wuhan, we boarded a high-speed train that covered nearly 500 kilometers of Hubei Province in just two and a half hours—a journey that once took almost an entire day by road, according to our tour guide, Lily. As the train sped deeper into Hubei, I couldn't help wondering how many of us from my late father's family had returned to China since my great-grandfather left more than a century ago.
We were greeted by near-freezing temperatures and thick fog as we made our first stop at Tianyan Scenic Area. Situated in the mountains, the park is known for its lush greenery and sweeping views. But on that day, the landscape was shrouded in mist. Instead of panoramic views, we found ourselves climbing a curved red bridge suspended above a sea of fog, creating a scene that felt as though it had been lifted straight from a fantasy film.
By the time we reached Shennong Peak, the weather had changed even more dramatically. Fresh snow had buried the mountain scenery beneath a blanket of white, replacing the panoramic views the area is famous for.
Lily told us that on clear days, Shennong Peak reveals dramatic valleys, the Babinyan Stone Forest, and sweeping mountain vistas. We saw none of them.
Instead, we were greeted by a snow-covered landscape. Many travelers might have been disappointed to miss Shennongjia's famous mountain scenery, but the persistent snowfall became the highlight of our visit. Fresh snow blanketed the mountain roads as snowflakes continued to fall around us. It was my first time seeing snow, and in that moment, I didn't mind that the snow became the defining memory of our visit to Shennongjia.
We made two stops. At the first, a viewing deck that would normally overlook the mountains, all we could see was an endless blanket of snow. Standing by the roadside, I found myself thinking about my mother's stories of winter in Chicago. For the first time, I could finally relate to those stories.
Wearing nothing more than a thin plastic raincoat, I wandered among the snow-covered trees. I scooped up a handful of fresh snow and simply held it, fascinated, until my palm went numb and I hurriedly slipped my gloves back on. The cold felt like standing inside a gigantic walk-in freezer, and I knew it would become one of those memories I'd carry for the rest of my life.
Our next stop was the Shennong Altar. On the steps leading up to it, a few of us started a snowball fight, scooping up handfuls of fresh snow and throwing them at one another as snowflakes continued to fall around us. I lasted barely ten minutes in the cold before retreating inside our heated tour bus. But those ten minutes were enough to make my first encounter with snow one of the most unforgettable moments of the trip.
China Connection
My paternal roots trace back to China. Growing up, my late father often told us how his grandfather sailed from China to Panay Island in the early 1900s, hoping for a better life. Before he passed away, he would always tell me, "Visit China someday and trace your roots."
Despite traveling to many countries, I long postponed that journey because of geopolitical issues. But I also knew that a country's politics are not its people, its history, or its culture.
This trip finally allowed me to fulfill a wish my father never got to see. More than discovering Wuhan and experiencing my first snowfall in Shennongjia, I found a deeper connection to a place that has always been part of my family's story.
Just as my first snowfall came as a surprise when our pre-trip briefing had forecast temperatures of around 16°C, this journey reminded me that the best travel experiences are often the ones we never expect.
Like India and Japan, I know I'll return to China, not just to see more of the country, but to better understand a part of myself.
A version of this article first appeared on Esquire PH
