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    Heavenly Lake in Mid-Tian Shan Mountains

    Written by: Su Xin
    Posted on: July 14, 2016 | | 中文

    Heavenly Lake in Tian Shan Mountains

    There are at least 21 lakes in China named after (“Tianchi” – Heavenly Lake), among which Tian Shan Heavenly Mountain of Xinjiang and Changbai Mountain Heavenly Lake o Jinlin are regarded as the best, with their beautiful scenery and rich cultural tradition.

    One of the two game sites of the National 13th Winter Games is at Heavenly Lake Skiing Resort, surrounded by alpine trees against Bogeda Peak, the highest in Mid-Tian Shan Mountains.

    Located in Fukang County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Heavenly Lake of Tian Shan Mountains is unique, with distinct vertical natural landscape zone, the mysterious folk legend of the Western Queen, which suggested this Heavenly Lake was the residence of the Queen and rich ethnic customs. As one of the most popular tour sites in Xinjiang, Heavenly Lake attracts numerous visitors from other parts of China and abroad every year.

    Heavenly Lake in Mid-Tian Shan Mountains

    In 2007, Heavenly Lake of Tian Shan Mountains was selected in the list of the national 5A tourist attractions by China National Tourism Administration and on June 5th and 6th, 2013, it was selected as one of the National Geological Parks by the Ministry of Land and Resources of China.

    There are numorous legends and folk stories about Heavenly Lake of Tian Shan Mountains. The most popular one is that it was the residence of the Western Queen, (Yaochi) and it is said that the Queen offered a grand banquet at the Lake to honor Emperor Mu (King of Western Zhou Dynasty) about 3,000 years ago. The Queen and the Emperor enjoyed the fine wine and music together here. This legend has been told and retold generation after generation in ancient China.

    Lying at the mid-Bogda Peak, Heavenly Lake of Tian Shan Mountains looks magnificent and quiet as it is nourished by nature. Looking up far into the distance, one can see three snow-capped peaks towering aloft in the Mid-Tian Shan Mountains. Looking down, one sees the half-moon-shaped lake, with clean and clear water sparkling in the sunghlight with crystal ripples twinkling after wind softly blowing through and colors changing every now and then.

    Although the Lake is quite small in size (5 square kilometers), it is 2,000 meters in altitude, and is circled by alpine forests that appeared tens of millions of years ago. Natural scenes vary due to the changes in altitude. The resort is divided into the zone of snow and glacier, the zone alpine and subalpine forests, the zone of alpine coniferous forest and the zone of hills. Tourists can enjoy the snow-capped mountains, forest and grassland at the same time. The lake surface is half-moon-shaped, 3,400 meters long, 1,500 meters wide at most, and the deepest part is about 105 meters. When one is at the Lake, one feels as if one is in a fairyland with the lake like a green gem embedded in high mountains, snow-capped peaks like crystal pearls standing against the blue sky and the green forest like the sea whistling in gentle and warm breeze.

    Heavenly Lake in Mid-Tian Shan Mountains

    Natural scenes also vary with different seasons, being robust and graceful in spring, quiet but elegant in the summer, mature but shy in autumn and cold but majestic in winter.

    Climate and geological conditions typical in the mountain ranges make the Lake a comfort tour resort, free from the summer heat and the cold of winter, it is warm in winters and cool in the summer. With pure water from the glacier and half-year-long winter, ice can be one meter deep in the Lake, but the ice surface is smooth. Thus, this Lake Resort is not only a summer resort for tourists, but also an excellent alpine skiing resort in the winter.

    Kazakh herders herd their animals in the Lake area, and their ethnic culture adds something unique to the natural scenry. The other natural heritages, such as the Stone Gate, Small Green Lake, Towering Three Stones, Magic Cudgel, Ancient Magic Elm Woods, Southern Mountain Snow Appreciation, Western Mountain Pine Scene, Lake Pavilion and Waterfall, are attractive and amazing.

    As a part of the largest mountain ranges, Mid-Tian Shan Mountains are rich in wildlife. There are many rare wild animal and rare plants. There are over 200 varieties of seed plants, of which Schrenk Spruce appeared here about 40 million years ago. Snow Lotus is also very famous.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021