Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers train topless in the snow in Heihe, northeast China's Heilongjiang province on February 26, 2015. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Soldiers are known to be tough but these Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers undergoing exteme winter training display incredible endurance in harsh, freezing conditions as they crawl through ice, dunk their faces in the snow and take "snow showers"— topless.

The training took place inHeihe, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, where temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit).

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Soldiers are shown on their hands and knees, crawling through the ice, pouring snow on their bodies, and running shin-deep in snow, wearing only combat pants and boots. Surprisingly, many are seen smiling, unfazed by the frigid weather, as they undergo their extreme exercises.

Some of the images also show soldiers taking part in the ancient practice of sabre play, which is used to improve balance, instill discipline and on the battlefield, according to The Daily Mail. The routunes, which involve swords and flags, are said to balance the development of the muscles and improve the health and ability of the body's organs.

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In January, China's defense ministry saidmilitary training this year will to win "local wars" in adverse and high-tech conditions, reported Agence France-Press. Defense ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Yang Yujun told reporters that the PLA will beef up training include in "a complex electro-magnetic environment in special terrains and during extreme weather conditions."