Saturday, September 13, 2008
Lake Dongqian
Dongqian Lake is a lake lying in the southeast of Yinzhou District, Ningbo in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in Zhejiang province with a water surface area of 20 square kilometers. Since ancient times the Lake has been a famous scenic spot in Eastern Zhejiang.
Lake Dianshan
Lake Dianshan is a natural lake, located in the west of Zhu Jiajiao, Qingpu, in the Shanghai municipal area of China, upstream of the Huangpu River. It is the only natural lake in the area. An abbreviation often used for the lake is Lake Dian, which means "sweet water lake".
Lake Dian
Lake Dian or Kunming Lake is a large inter-land lake located close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland," and it was the model for the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing.
It is a freshwater fault lake at above sea level. The lake covers . It is long from north to south, and the average depth is . It is the eighth largest lake in China and the largest in Yunnan Province.
Pollution is a major problem for the lake. In the city of Kunming, the capital of subtropical Yunnan province, there is no talk of drought, since the city is right next to one of Asia's biggest freshwater lakes. But until the first wastewater plant was built in 1990, 90 percent of Kunming's wastewater was pumped untreated into the lake. The lake water is now undrinkable despite several billion US dollars having been spent trying to clean it up. Some experts predict that over 55% of the lake's fish population has been killed off by this disease ridden type of pollution.The water in the lake is rated Grade V which makes the water unfit for use in agricultural or industrial uses.
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It is a freshwater fault lake at above sea level. The lake covers . It is long from north to south, and the average depth is . It is the eighth largest lake in China and the largest in Yunnan Province.
Pollution
Pollution is a major problem for the lake. In the city of Kunming, the capital of subtropical Yunnan province, there is no talk of drought, since the city is right next to one of Asia's biggest freshwater lakes. But until the first wastewater plant was built in 1990, 90 percent of Kunming's wastewater was pumped untreated into the lake. The lake water is now undrinkable despite several billion US dollars having been spent trying to clean it up. Some experts predict that over 55% of the lake's fish population has been killed off by this disease ridden type of pollution.The water in the lake is rated Grade V which makes the water unfit for use in agricultural or industrial uses.
Further reading
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Lake Chao
Lake Chao, or Chao Hu, , is a lake located at the juncture of Chaohu and Hefei cities in Anhui province, China. It is the largest lake in Anhui and one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China. Laoshan Island is situated within the lake. About 5 million people live near the lake, and use it for irrigation, transportation and fishing. Heavy use of the lake in recent years has led to eutrophication and silting. Due to China's rapid economic growth, the lake is now one of China's most polluted lakes.
Famous tourist sites around the lake include Mount Lao, Zhongmiao Temple, Tongyang River, Mount Yinping, and the Immortals Cave. The silver fish, shrimps, and crabs of Lake Chao are called the Three Treasures, and it also enjoys the grand name of "Land of Plenty".
According to legend, the site of the lake was once a prosperous city named Chaozhou. Because of sins of its people, it was cursed by the heavens and ordered to be destroyed by flood. The task was to be carried out by a white dragon who was only able to find one good person, an old lady surnamed Jiao. After the destruction of Chaozhou, only the old lady and her daughter were saved. They became the two islands emerging from the lake. This legend may in fact be rooted in geological history, since Lake Chao is located on the intersection of several major faultlines, of which the most famous is the Tan Lu Fault which caused the great 1976 Tangshan earthquake in its northern section.
Famous tourist sites around the lake include Mount Lao, Zhongmiao Temple, Tongyang River, Mount Yinping, and the Immortals Cave. The silver fish, shrimps, and crabs of Lake Chao are called the Three Treasures, and it also enjoys the grand name of "Land of Plenty".
According to legend, the site of the lake was once a prosperous city named Chaozhou. Because of sins of its people, it was cursed by the heavens and ordered to be destroyed by flood. The task was to be carried out by a white dragon who was only able to find one good person, an old lady surnamed Jiao. After the destruction of Chaozhou, only the old lady and her daughter were saved. They became the two islands emerging from the lake. This legend may in fact be rooted in geological history, since Lake Chao is located on the intersection of several major faultlines, of which the most famous is the Tan Lu Fault which caused the great 1976 Tangshan earthquake in its northern section.
Lake Changshou
Lake Changshou is a man-made lake with another name Shizitun Reservoir in Changshou, Chongqing, China. In the purpose of generating electric power, four hydraulic power stations were built after the dam construction had been completed in the 1950s. Since then a state farm was set up for fishery and horticulture as well as animal husbandry. Its surface area is 60 km? with an irrigation area amounting to 248 km?. There are many islands within the lake, good for tourism.
Lake Bosten
Lake Bosten is located 57 km northeast of Korla, Xinjiang, China in Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. The large freshwater lake covers about 1,000 square kilometers.
Its name is sometimes rendered as ''Bosten'', ''Bosten-See'', ''Bosten Hu'', ''Bagrax-hu'', ''Bagrasch-k?l'', ''Baghrasch k?l'', ''Bagratsch-kul'', ''Bositeng Lake'' or ''Bositeng Hu.'' A fishery exists on the lake and fish such as Bullhead and Blunt-snout bream are native to the lake. Westerners sometimes refer to it as the 'Oriental Hawaii of Xinjiang' because of its unique lush scenery surrounded by the harsh Gobi Desert.
Its name is sometimes rendered as ''Bosten'', ''Bosten-See'', ''Bosten Hu'', ''Bagrax-hu'', ''Bagrasch-k?l'', ''Baghrasch k?l'', ''Bagratsch-kul'', ''Bositeng Lake'' or ''Bositeng Hu.'' A fishery exists on the lake and fish such as Bullhead and Blunt-snout bream are native to the lake. Westerners sometimes refer to it as the 'Oriental Hawaii of Xinjiang' because of its unique lush scenery surrounded by the harsh Gobi Desert.
Lake Baiyangdian
Lake Baiyangdian is located in the Hebei Province, China. It is the largest natural lake in northern China. It is referred to as the Kidney of North China.
The lake is home to about 50 varieties of fish and multiple varieties of wild geese, duck, and birds. The lake and side parks also are home to a vast number of , , and other plants. From harvesting the fauna and flora of the lake, the locals make a living.
While appearing pristine in parts, Lake Baiyangdian is under assault from a variety of sources, most notably industrial waste emptied upstream, the holding back of replenishing waters into reservoirs by upstream communities, and local fish farming. The cleanup of Lake Baiyangdian has become a test for the Chinese government's vocal commitment to environmental causes, but Chinese environmentalists have painted this agenda as little more than empty promises, often pointing to the lake as evidence.
Lake Baiyangdian is a national and international tourist attraction flaunting its peaceful water scenes and vast lotus gardens. Hand-driven and motorized boats are available for small to medium sized groups; large motorized boats are available for large groups usually accompanied by a tour guide.
Islands on the lake hosts local restuarants that cook with local ingredients and hotels for the overnight tourist.
Environment
The lake is home to about 50 varieties of fish and multiple varieties of wild geese, duck, and birds. The lake and side parks also are home to a vast number of , , and other plants. From harvesting the fauna and flora of the lake, the locals make a living.
Pollution effects
While appearing pristine in parts, Lake Baiyangdian is under assault from a variety of sources, most notably industrial waste emptied upstream, the holding back of replenishing waters into reservoirs by upstream communities, and local fish farming. The cleanup of Lake Baiyangdian has become a test for the Chinese government's vocal commitment to environmental causes, but Chinese environmentalists have painted this agenda as little more than empty promises, often pointing to the lake as evidence.
Tourism
Lake Baiyangdian is a national and international tourist attraction flaunting its peaceful water scenes and vast lotus gardens. Hand-driven and motorized boats are available for small to medium sized groups; large motorized boats are available for large groups usually accompanied by a tour guide.
Islands on the lake hosts local restuarants that cook with local ingredients and hotels for the overnight tourist.
Lake Aibi
Lake Aibi is a rift lake in north west China, near the border to Kazakhstan. It's the catchment center of the Junggar Basin, has a size of over 1000 square kilomenters and an average depth of less than 2 meters . Due to a high salt concentration of its water, no plants or fishes live in the actual lake, though many kinds of fishes do in the mouths of its source rivers.
In August 2007, the Lake Aibi wetland was designated National Nature Reserve by the Chinese government.
In August 2007, the Lake Aibi wetland was designated National Nature Reserve by the Chinese government.
Kunming Lake
Kunming Lake is the central lake on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. Together with the Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake forms the key landscape features of the Summer Palace gardens.
With an area of , Kunming Lake covers approximately three quarters of the Summer Palace grounds. It is fairly shallow with an average depth of only . Since the lake develops a solid ice cover in winter, it is used for ice skating.
Kunming Lake is a man-made lake. Its predecessors were called ''Wengshan Pond'' and ''Xihu Lake''. They were reservoirs which had been used as sources of water both for the city and irrigation of fields over a period of 3,500 years. Guo Shoujing, a famous astronomer and engineer in his time, developed it into a reservoir for the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in 1291. The conversion of the area into an imperial garden was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor with the work being carried out between 1750 and 1764 . In the course of creating the gardens, the lake area was extended by a workforce of almost 10,000 laborers.
In the year 1990 and 1991, the Beijing Municipal Government undertook the first dredging of the lake in 240 years. A total of 652,600 cubic meters of sludge were removed in the work. 205 Japanese bombs dropped during the were also found.
With its three large islands, Kunming Lake represents the traditional Chinese garden element of the ''"fairy hill within the sea"''. The three islands are named ''Nanhu'' , ''Tuancheng'', and ''Zaojian Island'' and are modelled after the three famous fairy tale islands Yingzhou , Penglai , and Fangzhang , where were said to live. Many features of Kunming Lake are inspired by natural scenery form the region south of the Yangtze River. In particular, the West Dike is a recreation of the famous Su Di Dike on the West Lake in Hangzhou. It cuts diagonally through the southern part of the lake. Like the Su Di Dike, the West Dike is connected through six bridges, each with its own distinctive style: Jiehu, Binfeng, , Jing, Lian, and Liu
Bridge.
The largest bridge on Kunming Lake is the 17-Arch Bridge, it connects the eastern shore with Nanhu Island, which represents the mythical Penglai Island. Close to the bridge on the eastern shore stands a bronze ox sculpture. According the Chinese legend, Yu the Great used an iron ox to prevent flooding. Since the bronze ox is located on the eastern dike of Kunming Lake in the direction of the Forbidden City, it was probably erected in order to protect the Forbidden City from the Lake's floods.
With an area of , Kunming Lake covers approximately three quarters of the Summer Palace grounds. It is fairly shallow with an average depth of only . Since the lake develops a solid ice cover in winter, it is used for ice skating.
History
Kunming Lake is a man-made lake. Its predecessors were called ''Wengshan Pond'' and ''Xihu Lake''. They were reservoirs which had been used as sources of water both for the city and irrigation of fields over a period of 3,500 years. Guo Shoujing, a famous astronomer and engineer in his time, developed it into a reservoir for the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in 1291. The conversion of the area into an imperial garden was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor with the work being carried out between 1750 and 1764 . In the course of creating the gardens, the lake area was extended by a workforce of almost 10,000 laborers.
In the year 1990 and 1991, the Beijing Municipal Government undertook the first dredging of the lake in 240 years. A total of 652,600 cubic meters of sludge were removed in the work. 205 Japanese bombs dropped during the were also found.
Garden Design
With its three large islands, Kunming Lake represents the traditional Chinese garden element of the ''"fairy hill within the sea"''. The three islands are named ''Nanhu'' , ''Tuancheng'', and ''Zaojian Island'' and are modelled after the three famous fairy tale islands Yingzhou , Penglai , and Fangzhang , where were said to live. Many features of Kunming Lake are inspired by natural scenery form the region south of the Yangtze River. In particular, the West Dike is a recreation of the famous Su Di Dike on the West Lake in Hangzhou. It cuts diagonally through the southern part of the lake. Like the Su Di Dike, the West Dike is connected through six bridges, each with its own distinctive style: Jiehu, Binfeng, , Jing, Lian, and Liu
Bridge.
The largest bridge on Kunming Lake is the 17-Arch Bridge, it connects the eastern shore with Nanhu Island, which represents the mythical Penglai Island. Close to the bridge on the eastern shore stands a bronze ox sculpture. According the Chinese legend, Yu the Great used an iron ox to prevent flooding. Since the bronze ox is located on the eastern dike of Kunming Lake in the direction of the Forbidden City, it was probably erected in order to protect the Forbidden City from the Lake's floods.
Khanka Lake
Khanka Lake , is a transboundary freshwater body located on the border between Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China and Primorsky Krai, Russia . It is situated 120 km from Jixi. The area of the lake is 4,190 km? of which 3,030 km? are located in Russia, and 1,160 km?—in China. The area around the lake is an important wetland habitat and forms a National Nature Reserve on the Chinese side and the Khanka Lake Nature Reserve on the Russian side. It is a remarkable site for nature protection, eco-tourism as well as scientific research . The rare Lesser White-fronted Goose makes its home upon this lake. The lake area located on Chinese territory belongs to the Chinese government and is exploited by collective farms for fishery, agriculture and livestock raising.
Khanka Lake is the name given to two lakes separated by a 10 m sandy hill. Lake shores are swampy, except in the north-west.
The lake's drainage basin is an alluvial plain of around 16,890 km?, of which 97% is on Russian territory. With 4,000 to 4,400 km? of water plane area, it is the largest water body of Northeast China. It is fed by 23 rivers , but the only outflow of the lake is the Songacha River. The lake's average depth is 4.5 m, maximum depth—10.6 m. Its average volume is 18.3 km?, maximum—22.6 km?. The lake belongs to the Ussuri River System, which is part of Amur River System.
Maximum annual temperature is 21.2°C, minimum is ?19.2°C. Rainfall mainly occurs in summer, reaching 750 mm annually. The residence time of Khanka Lake is one year.
In the Neolithic era, there was a well-developed culture in the area of the Khanka Lake.
Physical data
Khanka Lake is the name given to two lakes separated by a 10 m sandy hill. Lake shores are swampy, except in the north-west.
The lake's drainage basin is an alluvial plain of around 16,890 km?, of which 97% is on Russian territory. With 4,000 to 4,400 km? of water plane area, it is the largest water body of Northeast China. It is fed by 23 rivers , but the only outflow of the lake is the Songacha River. The lake's average depth is 4.5 m, maximum depth—10.6 m. Its average volume is 18.3 km?, maximum—22.6 km?. The lake belongs to the Ussuri River System, which is part of Amur River System.
Maximum annual temperature is 21.2°C, minimum is ?19.2°C. Rainfall mainly occurs in summer, reaching 750 mm annually. The residence time of Khanka Lake is one year.
Miscellaneous
In the Neolithic era, there was a well-developed culture in the area of the Khanka Lake.
Karakul Lake
Karakul Lake is located approximately 200km from Kashgar, Xinjiang province, China, in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture on the Karakoram Highway, before reaching Tashkurgan, the Khunjerab Pass on the China - Pakistan border and Sost in Pakistan. At an altitude of 3600m , it is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir Mountains, Tian Shan and mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are the Muztagh Ata , Kongur Tagh and Kongur Tiube . The lake is popular among travellers for its unreal scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue. There are two Kirgiz settlements along the shore of Karakul lake, a small number of yurts about 1km east of the bus drop-off point and a village with stone houses located on the western shores.
Heaven Lake
Heaven Lake is a crater lake on the border between China and North Korea. It lies within a caldera atop the volcanic Baekdu Mountain, a part of the Baekdudaegan mountain range and the mountain range. It is located partly in Ryanggang Province, North Korea, at , and partly in Jilin Province, northeastern China.
At an altitude of 2,189.1 , Heaven Lake is the world's highest crater lake, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The lake covers an area of 9.82 with a south-north length of 4.85 and east-west length of 3.35 kilometres . The average depth of the lake is 213 m and maximum depth of 384 m . From mid-October to mid-June, Chonji is covered with ice.
The crater lake was created by a major eruption in 969 AD .
In ancient Chinese literature, ' also refers to ' . Some other well-known lakes named Tianchi include those in Xinjiang and Taiwan.
In North Korean legend, Kim Jong-il is claimed to be born near the lake on the mountain.
Many believe that the lake is home to the Lake Tianchi Monster. It is unknown if the monster and legendary Kun are related.
On September 6, 2007, Zhuo Yongsheng , shot a 20-minute video of 6 -like, finned "''Lake Tianchi Monsters''", near the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . He sent pictures of the Loch Ness-type creatures to Xinhua's Jilin provincial bureau. One of them showed the creatures swimming in 3 pairs, in parallel. Another showed them together, leaving ripples on the volcanic lake.
At an altitude of 2,189.1 , Heaven Lake is the world's highest crater lake, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The lake covers an area of 9.82 with a south-north length of 4.85 and east-west length of 3.35 kilometres . The average depth of the lake is 213 m and maximum depth of 384 m . From mid-October to mid-June, Chonji is covered with ice.
The crater lake was created by a major eruption in 969 AD .
In ancient Chinese literature, ' also refers to ' . Some other well-known lakes named Tianchi include those in Xinjiang and Taiwan.
In North Korean legend, Kim Jong-il is claimed to be born near the lake on the mountain.
Lake Tianchi Monster
Many believe that the lake is home to the Lake Tianchi Monster. It is unknown if the monster and legendary Kun are related.
On September 6, 2007, Zhuo Yongsheng , shot a 20-minute video of 6 -like, finned "''Lake Tianchi Monsters''", near the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . He sent pictures of the Loch Ness-type creatures to Xinhua's Jilin provincial bureau. One of them showed the creatures swimming in 3 pairs, in parallel. Another showed them together, leaving ripples on the volcanic lake.
Erhai Lake
Erhai Lake is an alpine lake in the southwestern province of Yunnan. Erhai Lake was also known as ''Yeyuze'' or ''Kunming Lake'' in ancient times.
Erhai Lake is situated at 1,972 m above sea level. In size, the North-South length of the lake is 40 km and the East-West width is roughly 7-8 km. Its area is 250 km?, making it the second largest highland lake of China, after Dianchi Lake. Its circumference reaches 116 km, its average depth is of 11 m and the total storage capacity of 2.5 billion m?.
The lake is sandwiched between the Cangshan Mountains to the West and . It starts at Dengchuan at its northern extremity and finishes at Xiaguan city in the South, receiving water from the and Rivers , the Bolou River and smallers streams from the Cangshan Mountains. Yangbi River is the lake's outlet in the South and eventually flows into the Lancang River .
Erhai Lake is a fault lake.
The lake used to be a royal deer ranch for the Nanzhao Kingdom.
The lakeshore can be explored by hiking. Highlights include ''Erhai Lake Park'' and the ''Butterfly Springs'' on the Western bank.
Islands on the lake are also available to visits .
The lake is an important food source for the local people , who are famous for their fishing method: their trained cormorants catch fish and return them to fishmongers. The birds are prevented from swallowing their fish by rings fixed around their neck.
Situation and physical data
Erhai Lake is situated at 1,972 m above sea level. In size, the North-South length of the lake is 40 km and the East-West width is roughly 7-8 km. Its area is 250 km?, making it the second largest highland lake of China, after Dianchi Lake. Its circumference reaches 116 km, its average depth is of 11 m and the total storage capacity of 2.5 billion m?.
The lake is sandwiched between the Cangshan Mountains to the West and . It starts at Dengchuan at its northern extremity and finishes at Xiaguan city in the South, receiving water from the and Rivers , the Bolou River and smallers streams from the Cangshan Mountains. Yangbi River is the lake's outlet in the South and eventually flows into the Lancang River .
History
Erhai Lake is a fault lake.
The lake used to be a royal deer ranch for the Nanzhao Kingdom.
Touristic attractions
The lakeshore can be explored by hiking. Highlights include ''Erhai Lake Park'' and the ''Butterfly Springs'' on the Western bank.
Islands on the lake are also available to visits .
Miscellaneous
The lake is an important food source for the local people , who are famous for their fishing method: their trained cormorants catch fish and return them to fishmongers. The birds are prevented from swallowing their fish by rings fixed around their neck.
Diexi Lake
Diexi Lake is a lake in Diexi, Mao County, Sichuan, China.
Diexi Lake is a landslide dam-created lake formed in the 1933 Diexi earthquake and covers 3.5 square kilometers. The old town of Diexi sank into this lake.
Diexi Lake is a landslide dam-created lake formed in the 1933 Diexi earthquake and covers 3.5 square kilometers. The old town of Diexi sank into this lake.
Crescent Lake (Dunhuang)
Yueyaquan is a crescent-shaped lake in the oasis, 5 km southwest of the city Dunhuang of Gansu , China.
It was named Yueyaquan since Qing Dynasty. According to measurement made in 1960, the average depth of the lake was 4 to 5 meters, with maximum depth 7.5 meters. In the following 40 years, the depth of lake continually declined. In the early 1990s, the area of the lake had shrunken to only 1.37 acre with average depth of 0.9 meter . Although local government had plans to restore the depth through filling with water, the lack of budget has delayed their actions.
The lake and the surrounding deserts are very popular with tourists, who are offered camel and 4x4 rides.
It was named Yueyaquan since Qing Dynasty. According to measurement made in 1960, the average depth of the lake was 4 to 5 meters, with maximum depth 7.5 meters. In the following 40 years, the depth of lake continually declined. In the early 1990s, the area of the lake had shrunken to only 1.37 acre with average depth of 0.9 meter . Although local government had plans to restore the depth through filling with water, the lack of budget has delayed their actions.
The lake and the surrounding deserts are very popular with tourists, who are offered camel and 4x4 rides.
Caohai Lake
Caohai Lake is a natural water-body situated in the Northwest , of Southwest . The lake is situated on the Weining Mountain, at the outskirt of Weining County. Caohai Village lies directly at the edge of the wetland. Since 1985, the area around the lake constitutes a nature reserve at provincial level, and since 1992, at national level.
The lake's original area was . However as a result of drainage, cultivation and climate changes during the last decades, the lake area has shrunk to only . Its average depth is of and its altitude above sea level. The whole reserve area is .
The lake area is the largest and most important wetland of Southwest China, providing wintering place of Black-necked Cranes, the only plateau crane left in the world. Besides, the lake is also inhabited by 184 bird species, including Common Cranes, Hooded Cranes, White Storks, Black Storks, , Golden Eagles, Eastern Imperial Eagles, White-tailed Sea-eagles and Ruddy Shelducks.
Physical data
The lake's original area was . However as a result of drainage, cultivation and climate changes during the last decades, the lake area has shrunk to only . Its average depth is of and its altitude above sea level. The whole reserve area is .
Fauna
The lake area is the largest and most important wetland of Southwest China, providing wintering place of Black-necked Cranes, the only plateau crane left in the world. Besides, the lake is also inhabited by 184 bird species, including Common Cranes, Hooded Cranes, White Storks, Black Storks, , Golden Eagles, Eastern Imperial Eagles, White-tailed Sea-eagles and Ruddy Shelducks.
Aydingkol
Aydingkol, Aydingkul or Ayding is a lake in the Turfan Depression, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, PR China. At 154m below sea level it is the second lowest land point on Earth. This lake is now totally dried , and very muddy and salty.
Yilong Lake
Yilong Lake is a large fresh water lake located in Shiping County, in the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of the Yunnan province of southwestern China.
The lake has a surface area of approximately 32 km? and is particularly notable for its scenery, including the colorful lotus flowers that bloom on its surface. It is located about 2 km east of the county seat.
The people who live in the vicinity of the lake are largely of the ethnic group.
The lake has a surface area of approximately 32 km? and is particularly notable for its scenery, including the colorful lotus flowers that bloom on its surface. It is located about 2 km east of the county seat.
The people who live in the vicinity of the lake are largely of the ethnic group.
Yangcheng Lake
Yangcheng Lake is a freshwater
lake about 3 kilometers northeast of the town of Suzhou in
Jiangsu , China. It is the most
famous area of origin for the Chinese mitten crabs which are a
considered a delicacy.
Yangchen lake is located between Lake Tai and the Yangtze
River. It crosses the boundary of the cities , Changshu
and Kunshan and has a surface area of about 20 square kilometers.
The Chinese mitten crabs migrate from Yangcheng Lake towards the
Yangtze delta for mating in September and October. The local
fishermen harvest the animals during this migration. In 2002, the
total production of Hairy Crabs in Yangcheng Lake was estimated to be
about 1,500 tonnes.
lake about 3 kilometers northeast of the town of Suzhou in
Jiangsu , China. It is the most
famous area of origin for the Chinese mitten crabs which are a
considered a delicacy.
Yangchen lake is located between Lake Tai and the Yangtze
River. It crosses the boundary of the cities , Changshu
and Kunshan and has a surface area of about 20 square kilometers.
The Chinese mitten crabs migrate from Yangcheng Lake towards the
Yangtze delta for mating in September and October. The local
fishermen harvest the animals during this migration. In 2002, the
total production of Hairy Crabs in Yangcheng Lake was estimated to be
about 1,500 tonnes.
Tianchi
Tianchi is a lake in Xinjiang, China, situated at . The name literally means "Heaven Lake" or "Heavenly Lake" and can refer to several lakes in China and Taiwan. This Tianchi lies on the north side of Bogda Peak of Tianshan Mountains, about 40 km east of Fukang County and 110 km east of Urumqi, in China. It is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period.
Formerly known as Yaochi , it was named Tianchi by Mingliang in 1783, the Qing Dynasty Commander of Urumqi Command.
The lake is 2,000 m above sea level, covering 4.9 km?, 105 m deep at the deepest point.
In 2006, it was designated for four years of restoration work at a cost of 800 million yuan . The plan calls for the tourism area around the lake to be increased from the present 158 km? to 548 km?.
The lake was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1990.
The Mountain Goats released a song on the album Heretic Pride called "Tianchi Lake" which takes place in said lake.
Formerly known as Yaochi , it was named Tianchi by Mingliang in 1783, the Qing Dynasty Commander of Urumqi Command.
The lake is 2,000 m above sea level, covering 4.9 km?, 105 m deep at the deepest point.
In 2006, it was designated for four years of restoration work at a cost of 800 million yuan . The plan calls for the tourism area around the lake to be increased from the present 158 km? to 548 km?.
The lake was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1990.
Trivia
The Mountain Goats released a song on the album Heretic Pride called "Tianchi Lake" which takes place in said lake.
Tangjiashan Lake
Tangjiashan Lake is a landslide dam-created lake on the Jian River, which was formed by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. As of June 9, 2008 more than 250,000 people have been evacuated from Mianyang in anticipation of the Tangjiashan Lake dam bursting.
A similar lake in the same province that formed 222 years earlier caused one of the worst landslide-related disasters in history. On June 10, 1786 a landslide dam on Sichuan's Dadu River, created by an earthquake ten days earlier, burst and caused a flood that extended 1400 km downstream and killed 100,000 people.
A "relatively strong" aftershock on June 8, 2008 shook the massive earthquake-formed lake that has been threatening to flood more than 1 million people and triggered landslides in surrounding mountains. Soldiers used digging equipment, explosives, and even missiles to blast channels in the dam in an attempt to relieve the pressure behind it.
The flow from the sluice channel cut into the dam increased dramatically on June 10, 2008, going from 300 cubic meters/second to 7000 cubic meters/second in the span of four hours. The muddy waters flowed rapidly downstream causing flooding in the evacuated town of Beichuan and overtopping of dams.
A similar lake in the same province that formed 222 years earlier caused one of the worst landslide-related disasters in history. On June 10, 1786 a landslide dam on Sichuan's Dadu River, created by an earthquake ten days earlier, burst and caused a flood that extended 1400 km downstream and killed 100,000 people.
A "relatively strong" aftershock on June 8, 2008 shook the massive earthquake-formed lake that has been threatening to flood more than 1 million people and triggered landslides in surrounding mountains. Soldiers used digging equipment, explosives, and even missiles to blast channels in the dam in an attempt to relieve the pressure behind it.
The flow from the sluice channel cut into the dam increased dramatically on June 10, 2008, going from 300 cubic meters/second to 7000 cubic meters/second in the span of four hours. The muddy waters flowed rapidly downstream causing flooding in the evacuated town of Beichuan and overtopping of dams.
South Lake (Jiaxing)
South Lake is a scenic lake located in the South of Jiaxing City, China, and covers an area of 0.54 km?. It is also known as "Mandarin Duck Lake", due to the lake's shape, and is a frequent destination of tourists and sightseers.
Alongside the lake are the ruins of the Misty Rain Tower, which was built in the 10th century. In 1548 AD, during the Ming Dynasty, the local government dredged the waterways and piled up the mud into the center of South Lake, forming an islet. The Misty Rain tower was rebuilt on the islet the next year. In the following years, a group of ancient garden-style architectures emerged around it.
The first national congress of the Communist Party of China was transferred from Shanghai to Jiaxing in 1921 and the final agenda was carried out in a pleasure boat on South Lake. The birth of the party was declared here. It is therefore considered by the Chinese to be one of the most important sacred places of the revolution.
Alongside the lake are the ruins of the Misty Rain Tower, which was built in the 10th century. In 1548 AD, during the Ming Dynasty, the local government dredged the waterways and piled up the mud into the center of South Lake, forming an islet. The Misty Rain tower was rebuilt on the islet the next year. In the following years, a group of ancient garden-style architectures emerged around it.
The first national congress of the Communist Party of China was transferred from Shanghai to Jiaxing in 1921 and the final agenda was carried out in a pleasure boat on South Lake. The birth of the party was declared here. It is therefore considered by the Chinese to be one of the most important sacred places of the revolution.
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake , historically known as Kokonor , is a salt lake situated in the province of Qinghai, and is the largest lake in China. The names Qinghai and Kokonor both mean "Blue/Teal Sea" in Standard Mandarin and classical Mongolian. It is located about 100 km west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m above sea level in a of the Tibetan Plateau in the former Tibetan province of Amdo.Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake.
The lake has fluctuated in size, shrinking over much of the 20th century, but increasing since 2004. Despite its salinity, it has an abundance of fish, such as the edible ''huángyú'' .
Like most sacred lakes in Tibet, pilgrims circumambulate it. Przhevalsky estimated it would take about 8 days by horse or 15 walking to circumambulate the lake, but pilgrims report it takes about 18 days on horseback, and one took 23 days walking to complete the circuit.
There is an island in the western part of the lake with a temple and a few hermitages called "Mahādeva, the Heart of the Lake" which historically was home to a Buddhist monastery. No boat was used during summer, only when the lake froze over in winter could monks reach the mainland or pilgrims visit the temple - many of whom used to come from Mongolia. A nomad described the size of the island by saying that: "if in the morning a she-goat starts to browse the grass around it clockwise and its kid anti-clockwise, they will meet only in the night, which shows how big the island is."
Qinghai Lake is sandwiched between and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in northeastern Qinghai. The lake is located at the crossroads of several bird migration routes across Asia. Many species use Qinghai as an intermediate stop during migration. As such, it is a focal point in global concerns of avian influenza , as a major outbreak here could spread the virus across Europe and Asia, further increasing the chances of a pandemic. Minor outbreaks of H5N1 have already been identified at the lake. At the tip of the peninsual on the western side of the lake are the "Bird Islands" , which have been bird sanctuaries of the Qinghai Lake Natural Protection Zone since 1997. The lake often remains frozen for three months continuously in winter.
Prior to the 1960s, 108 freshwater rivers emptied into the lake. As of 2003, 85 % of the river mouths have dried up, including the lake's largest tributary, the Buha River. In between 1959 and 1982, there had been an annual water level drop of 10 centimeters, which was reversed at a rate of 10 cm/year between 1983 to 1989, but has continued to drop since. The Chinese Academy of Sciences reported in 1998 the lake was again threatened with loss of surface area due to livestock over-grazing, land reclamations and natural causes . Lake surface area has decreased 11.7 percent in the period between 1908 and 2000 . As a result of this, or possibly moving sand dune, higher lake floors were exposed, numerous water bodies were separated from the rest of the main lake around since the 20th century. In the 1960s, the 48.9 km? Gǎhǎi Lake appeared in the northern part of the lake. During the 1980s, Shādǎo Lake split out in the northwest covers an area of 19.6 km?, while the northeastern Hǎiyàn Lake is 112.5 km? . Another 96.7 km? daughter lake split off in 2004. In addition, the lake has now split into half a dozen more small lakes at the border. The water surface has shrunk by 312km? over the last three decades.
The lake has fluctuated in size, shrinking over much of the 20th century, but increasing since 2004. Despite its salinity, it has an abundance of fish, such as the edible ''huángyú'' .
Like most sacred lakes in Tibet, pilgrims circumambulate it. Przhevalsky estimated it would take about 8 days by horse or 15 walking to circumambulate the lake, but pilgrims report it takes about 18 days on horseback, and one took 23 days walking to complete the circuit.
There is an island in the western part of the lake with a temple and a few hermitages called "Mahādeva, the Heart of the Lake" which historically was home to a Buddhist monastery. No boat was used during summer, only when the lake froze over in winter could monks reach the mainland or pilgrims visit the temple - many of whom used to come from Mongolia. A nomad described the size of the island by saying that: "if in the morning a she-goat starts to browse the grass around it clockwise and its kid anti-clockwise, they will meet only in the night, which shows how big the island is."
Qinghai Lake is sandwiched between and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in northeastern Qinghai. The lake is located at the crossroads of several bird migration routes across Asia. Many species use Qinghai as an intermediate stop during migration. As such, it is a focal point in global concerns of avian influenza , as a major outbreak here could spread the virus across Europe and Asia, further increasing the chances of a pandemic. Minor outbreaks of H5N1 have already been identified at the lake. At the tip of the peninsual on the western side of the lake are the "Bird Islands" , which have been bird sanctuaries of the Qinghai Lake Natural Protection Zone since 1997. The lake often remains frozen for three months continuously in winter.
Splitting
Prior to the 1960s, 108 freshwater rivers emptied into the lake. As of 2003, 85 % of the river mouths have dried up, including the lake's largest tributary, the Buha River. In between 1959 and 1982, there had been an annual water level drop of 10 centimeters, which was reversed at a rate of 10 cm/year between 1983 to 1989, but has continued to drop since. The Chinese Academy of Sciences reported in 1998 the lake was again threatened with loss of surface area due to livestock over-grazing, land reclamations and natural causes . Lake surface area has decreased 11.7 percent in the period between 1908 and 2000 . As a result of this, or possibly moving sand dune, higher lake floors were exposed, numerous water bodies were separated from the rest of the main lake around since the 20th century. In the 1960s, the 48.9 km? Gǎhǎi Lake appeared in the northern part of the lake. During the 1980s, Shādǎo Lake split out in the northwest covers an area of 19.6 km?, while the northeastern Hǎiyàn Lake is 112.5 km? . Another 96.7 km? daughter lake split off in 2004. In addition, the lake has now split into half a dozen more small lakes at the border. The water surface has shrunk by 312km? over the last three decades.
Qiandao Lake
Qiandao Lake is a man-made lake located in Chun'an County, Zhejiang, China. Qiandao Lake is a man-made lake formed since the completion of the Xinanjiang hydroelectric station. There are 1,078 large islands in the lake and a few thousand smaller ones. It covers an area of 573 km?, it has a storage capacity of 17.8 . The total area of the islands in the lake is about 86 km?.
Qiandao Lake is known for its clear, and sometimes, drinkable water, such as that used to produce the renowned Nongfu Spring brand of mineral water. It is also home to lush forestation , and exotic islands, its more popular attractions include the Bird Island, the Snake Island, the Lock Island , the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood.
The lake is an important tourist attraction of Zhejiang. Newer housing developments have sprung up since the late 1990s at a reasonable cost to buyers looking for lakeside residences.
In 1994, three bandits raided a boat full of Taiwanese tourists and set it on fire, killing all 32 passengers onboard in a notorious event named the Qiandao Lake Incident. The PRC's rough handling of the incident upset many people in Taiwan, hence escalating the event into a political incident that resulted in an increase of support for in Taiwan.
In 2007, a Chinese-Italian consortium started to plan the construction of a prototype of an archimedes bridge in the lake, spanning 100 m, as a proof-of-concept for larger bridges.
There are hourly buses that connect Qiandao Lake with the provincial capital, Hangzhou, under which it is technically under jurisdiction. A railway development project to the area was ceased as it was considered damaging to the natural sights of Qiandao Lake. An expressway will be linking Hangzhou, Qiandao Lake, and Huangshan, Anhui by 2008.
Qiandao Lake is known for its clear, and sometimes, drinkable water, such as that used to produce the renowned Nongfu Spring brand of mineral water. It is also home to lush forestation , and exotic islands, its more popular attractions include the Bird Island, the Snake Island, the Lock Island , the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood.
The lake is an important tourist attraction of Zhejiang. Newer housing developments have sprung up since the late 1990s at a reasonable cost to buyers looking for lakeside residences.
History
In 1994, three bandits raided a boat full of Taiwanese tourists and set it on fire, killing all 32 passengers onboard in a notorious event named the Qiandao Lake Incident. The PRC's rough handling of the incident upset many people in Taiwan, hence escalating the event into a political incident that resulted in an increase of support for in Taiwan.
In 2007, a Chinese-Italian consortium started to plan the construction of a prototype of an archimedes bridge in the lake, spanning 100 m, as a proof-of-concept for larger bridges.
Transport
There are hourly buses that connect Qiandao Lake with the provincial capital, Hangzhou, under which it is technically under jurisdiction. A railway development project to the area was ceased as it was considered damaging to the natural sights of Qiandao Lake. An expressway will be linking Hangzhou, Qiandao Lake, and Huangshan, Anhui by 2008.
Pangong Tso
Pangong Tso is a lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,250 m . It is 134 km long and extends from India to China. Two thirds of the length of this lake lies in China. The lake is 5 km wide at its broadest point. In winter, the lake surface freezes completely despite being .
Pangong Tso can be reached in a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain road. The road traverses the third-highest pass in the world, the Changla pass, where army sentries and a small teahouse greet visitors. The spectacular lakeside is open during the tourist season, from May to September. A special permit is required to visit the lake. While Indian nationals can obtain individual permits, others must have group permits accompanied by an accredited guide; the tourist office in Leh issues the permits for a small fee. For security reasons, India does not permit boating. There is a 7 room J&K Tourism Guest House which also houses a campsite, at Spangmik, the only village on the banks of lake. Most of its inhabitants herd sheep and goats and have quite recently given up nomadic ways. A significant temple stands below the peaks overlooking the village and the lake.
The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention.
Image:Pangong_Tso_Lake_hansraj.JPG|The lake during summers
Image:Pangong_Tso_road_hansraj.JPG|Road to Pangong Tso
Image:Pangong_Tso_road1_hansraj.JPG|Road to Pangong Tso
The brackish water of the lake is devoid of any micro-vegetation. Guides report that there is no acquatic life in the lake, no fish or crustaceans. On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, the Bar-headed goose and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang and the Marmot.
Inner Line permits are required to reach the Lake as it lies about 50 km from Indo-China Border. The closest town to start for Pangong Tso is Kharu . It is 36 Kms away from Leh. Most tourist would hire a car / jeep to visit the lake. The road from Leh to Pangong Tso crosses the villages of Shey and Gya and then the military installation of Kharu. From Kharu the roads leads upto the another mountain pass called Chang-La. Indian Armed forces maintain the roads in this region and have done commendable job to upkeeping these roads. The climb to Chang-la is tough and upon reaching the top, you are greeted with a Sign that says "You have reached the Mighty ChangLa". The road Down from Chang-La is very good and passes though Tangste and other smaller villages. The final hurdle on this road is called Pagal Naala or "The Crazy Stream". Its known for wiping away truck and other bigger vehicles in its flow. Crossing it is at times difficult. Once your cross the Stream you are welcomed by the first View of Pangong Tso. Accomodation in this area is mainly in cottages and tents. Though one can book rooms in the Pangong Tso Resort in Spangmik.
Pangong Tso can be reached in a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain road. The road traverses the third-highest pass in the world, the Changla pass, where army sentries and a small teahouse greet visitors. The spectacular lakeside is open during the tourist season, from May to September. A special permit is required to visit the lake. While Indian nationals can obtain individual permits, others must have group permits accompanied by an accredited guide; the tourist office in Leh issues the permits for a small fee. For security reasons, India does not permit boating. There is a 7 room J&K Tourism Guest House which also houses a campsite, at Spangmik, the only village on the banks of lake. Most of its inhabitants herd sheep and goats and have quite recently given up nomadic ways. A significant temple stands below the peaks overlooking the village and the lake.
The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention.
Image:Pangong_Tso_Lake_hansraj.JPG|The lake during summers
Image:Pangong_Tso_road_hansraj.JPG|Road to Pangong Tso
Image:Pangong_Tso_road1_hansraj.JPG|Road to Pangong Tso
Flora and fauna
The brackish water of the lake is devoid of any micro-vegetation. Guides report that there is no acquatic life in the lake, no fish or crustaceans. On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, the Bar-headed goose and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang and the Marmot.
Getting to Pangong Tso
Inner Line permits are required to reach the Lake as it lies about 50 km from Indo-China Border. The closest town to start for Pangong Tso is Kharu . It is 36 Kms away from Leh. Most tourist would hire a car / jeep to visit the lake. The road from Leh to Pangong Tso crosses the villages of Shey and Gya and then the military installation of Kharu. From Kharu the roads leads upto the another mountain pass called Chang-La. Indian Armed forces maintain the roads in this region and have done commendable job to upkeeping these roads. The climb to Chang-la is tough and upon reaching the top, you are greeted with a Sign that says "You have reached the Mighty ChangLa". The road Down from Chang-La is very good and passes though Tangste and other smaller villages. The final hurdle on this road is called Pagal Naala or "The Crazy Stream". Its known for wiping away truck and other bigger vehicles in its flow. Crossing it is at times difficult. Once your cross the Stream you are welcomed by the first View of Pangong Tso. Accomodation in this area is mainly in cottages and tents. Though one can book rooms in the Pangong Tso Resort in Spangmik.
Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake is a high mountain plateau lake, 2685 meters above sea level, located 202 km northeast of on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in People's Republic of China. The lake is 48.5 square km in area and is quite deep, being about 93.5 m at its deepest point. It is surrounded by mountains and has eight islands and many bays and beaches.
The inhabitants around the lake are the Mosuo people, a small tribe that is considered a sub clan of Naxi people. They are a matriarchal society and seek to maintain that heritage. The Mosuo currently do not have a written language
The inhabitants around the lake are the Mosuo people, a small tribe that is considered a sub clan of Naxi people. They are a matriarchal society and seek to maintain that heritage. The Mosuo currently do not have a written language
Lop Nur
Lop Nur is a group of small, now seasonal salt lake sand marshes between the and Kuruktag deserts in the southeastern portion of in the People's Republic of China.
The lake system into which the Tarim River empties is the last remnant of the historical post-glacial Tarim Lake, which once covered more than 10,000 square kilometers in the Tarim Basin. Lop Nur is hydrologically endorheic— it is landbound and there is no outlet. Though it was determined to be a single salt lake by ancient Chinese geographers, the lake system has largely dried up from its 1928 measured area of 3,100 km?, and the desert has spread by windblown sandy loess. This has shifted the lake system 30 to 40 km westwards during the past 40 years. A partial cause for the destabilization of the desert has been the cutting of poplars and willows for firewood; in response, a reserve was established in 2003 to preserve 3,520 square kilometres of poplar.
Former water resources of the Tarim River and Lop Nur nurtured the kingdom of Loulan, an ancient Chinese civilization along the Silk Road, which skirted the lake-filled basin. Loulan became a client-state of the Chinese empire in 55 BCE, renamed Shanshan. Once the lake also supported a thriving culture. have discovered the buried remains of settlements, as well as several of the Tarim mummies, along its ancient shoreline. Marco Polo passed near the lake, and the explorers Ferdinand von Richthofen, Nikolai Przhevalsky and Sven Hedin visited the area. It is also likely that Swedish soldier Johan Gustaf Renat had visited the area when he was helping the Zunghars to produce maps over the area in the eighteenth century.
The first Chinese nuclear bomb test, codenamed "", was tested at Lop Nur in 1964. Since 1964, the lake has been used as a nuclear test site. Until 1996, 45 were conducted. The headquarters of the test base is at Malan, about 125 km northwest of Qinggir.
On June 13, 1996, famous Chinese explorer Yu Chunshun died while trying to walk across Lop Nur.
The rivers that feed the Lop Nur marshes are the Tarim River, Qiemo River and Konqi River.
The site is an oblong sand dune, from which more than 30 well-preserved mummies, buried in air-tight ox-hide bags, have been excavated. The entire Xiaohe Tomb complex contains about 330 tombs, about 160 of which have been desecrated by grave robbers.
A local hunter guided Swedish explorer and archeologist Folke Bergman to the site in 1934. An excavation project began in October 2003 by the Xinjiang Cultural Relics and Archaeology Institute. A total of 167 tombs have been dug up since the end of 2002 and excavations have revealed hundreds of smaller tombs built in layers, as well as other precious artifacts. In 2006 more valuable archeology evidence was uncovered. A boat-shaped coffin wrapped with ox hide, contained the mummified face of a smiling young woman.
The lake system into which the Tarim River empties is the last remnant of the historical post-glacial Tarim Lake, which once covered more than 10,000 square kilometers in the Tarim Basin. Lop Nur is hydrologically endorheic— it is landbound and there is no outlet. Though it was determined to be a single salt lake by ancient Chinese geographers, the lake system has largely dried up from its 1928 measured area of 3,100 km?, and the desert has spread by windblown sandy loess. This has shifted the lake system 30 to 40 km westwards during the past 40 years. A partial cause for the destabilization of the desert has been the cutting of poplars and willows for firewood; in response, a reserve was established in 2003 to preserve 3,520 square kilometres of poplar.
History
Former water resources of the Tarim River and Lop Nur nurtured the kingdom of Loulan, an ancient Chinese civilization along the Silk Road, which skirted the lake-filled basin. Loulan became a client-state of the Chinese empire in 55 BCE, renamed Shanshan. Once the lake also supported a thriving culture. have discovered the buried remains of settlements, as well as several of the Tarim mummies, along its ancient shoreline. Marco Polo passed near the lake, and the explorers Ferdinand von Richthofen, Nikolai Przhevalsky and Sven Hedin visited the area. It is also likely that Swedish soldier Johan Gustaf Renat had visited the area when he was helping the Zunghars to produce maps over the area in the eighteenth century.
The first Chinese nuclear bomb test, codenamed "", was tested at Lop Nur in 1964. Since 1964, the lake has been used as a nuclear test site. Until 1996, 45 were conducted. The headquarters of the test base is at Malan, about 125 km northwest of Qinggir.
On June 13, 1996, famous Chinese explorer Yu Chunshun died while trying to walk across Lop Nur.
Water System
The rivers that feed the Lop Nur marshes are the Tarim River, Qiemo River and Konqi River.
Xiaohe Bronze Age Burial Site
The site is an oblong sand dune, from which more than 30 well-preserved mummies, buried in air-tight ox-hide bags, have been excavated. The entire Xiaohe Tomb complex contains about 330 tombs, about 160 of which have been desecrated by grave robbers.
A local hunter guided Swedish explorer and archeologist Folke Bergman to the site in 1934. An excavation project began in October 2003 by the Xinjiang Cultural Relics and Archaeology Institute. A total of 167 tombs have been dug up since the end of 2002 and excavations have revealed hundreds of smaller tombs built in layers, as well as other precious artifacts. In 2006 more valuable archeology evidence was uncovered. A boat-shaped coffin wrapped with ox hide, contained the mummified face of a smiling young woman.
Lake Tai
Lake Tai is a large lake in the Yangtze Delta plain, on the border of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the People's Republic of China. The waters of the lake belong to the former in its entirety with part of its southern shore forming the boundary between the two provinces. With an area of 2,250 km? and an average depth of 2 metres, it is the third largest freshwater lake in China, after the and Dongting Lakes. The lake houses about 90 islands, ranging in size from a few square meters to several square miles.
Lake Tai is linked to the renowned . The lake is also the origin for a number of rivers, including Suzhou Creek. In recent years, Lake Tai has been plagued by pollution as a result of rapid economic growth in the surrounding region.
The lake is renowned for its unique limestone formations. These Chinese scholar's rocks are often prized as a decorating material for the traditional Chinese garden, especially in areas such as Suzhou.
According to many guidebooks, Lake Tai is best seen from the scenic viewpoint in Xihui Park in the west of Wuxi , from the top of Dragon Light Pagoda , from which both Wuxi and Lake Tai are visible. Another wellknown panoramic view is from Longshan , where famous ancient poet Su Shi once wrote a poem.
Three of the lake's islands are known as the Sanshan Islands , one of the .
The lake is also known for its productive fishing industry, and is often occupied by fleets of small private fishing boats. Since the late 1970s, harvesting seafood products such as fish and crabs have been invaluable to people living along the lake and have contributed significantly to the economy of the surrounding area.
In May 2007, the lake was overtaken by a major algae bloom and by major pollution with cyanobacteria. The Chinese government has called the lake a major natural disaster despite the clearly anthropogenic origin of this environmental catastrophe. With the average price of bottled water rising to six times the normal rate, the government has banned all regional water providers from implementing price hikes. The lake provides water to 30 million residents, including about one million in Wuxi. As of October 2007, the Chinese government had shut down or given notice to over 1,300 factories around the lake. Notwithstanding this official increase of governmental concern, one of the leading environmentalists who has been publicizing the pollution issues of the lake, Wu Lihong, has now received a three year prison sentence after being arrested and tried for alleged extortion of one of the polluters. At a cabinet level chaired by Wen Jiabao, the State Council set a target to clean Lake Tai by 2012.
Lake Tai is linked to the renowned . The lake is also the origin for a number of rivers, including Suzhou Creek. In recent years, Lake Tai has been plagued by pollution as a result of rapid economic growth in the surrounding region.
Scenic locations
The lake is renowned for its unique limestone formations. These Chinese scholar's rocks are often prized as a decorating material for the traditional Chinese garden, especially in areas such as Suzhou.
According to many guidebooks, Lake Tai is best seen from the scenic viewpoint in Xihui Park in the west of Wuxi , from the top of Dragon Light Pagoda , from which both Wuxi and Lake Tai are visible. Another wellknown panoramic view is from Longshan , where famous ancient poet Su Shi once wrote a poem.
Three of the lake's islands are known as the Sanshan Islands , one of the .
Business and industry
The lake is also known for its productive fishing industry, and is often occupied by fleets of small private fishing boats. Since the late 1970s, harvesting seafood products such as fish and crabs have been invaluable to people living along the lake and have contributed significantly to the economy of the surrounding area.
Pollution
In May 2007, the lake was overtaken by a major algae bloom and by major pollution with cyanobacteria. The Chinese government has called the lake a major natural disaster despite the clearly anthropogenic origin of this environmental catastrophe. With the average price of bottled water rising to six times the normal rate, the government has banned all regional water providers from implementing price hikes. The lake provides water to 30 million residents, including about one million in Wuxi. As of October 2007, the Chinese government had shut down or given notice to over 1,300 factories around the lake. Notwithstanding this official increase of governmental concern, one of the leading environmentalists who has been publicizing the pollution issues of the lake, Wu Lihong, has now received a three year prison sentence after being arrested and tried for alleged extortion of one of the polluters. At a cabinet level chaired by Wen Jiabao, the State Council set a target to clean Lake Tai by 2012.
Lake Ulungur
Lake Ulungur is located in Fuhai, Xinjiang, China. With an area of 1,035 square kilometers, the lake is one of China's ten largest freshwater lakes.
Lake Ulungur is divided into two sections: Buluntuo Lake and the smaller Jili Lake and is fed by the Ulungur river.
In 1969, a canal was built through the watershed between the Ulungur and the Irtysh river in order to divert water into the lake.
During the winter, there is ice fishing.
Lake Ulungur is divided into two sections: Buluntuo Lake and the smaller Jili Lake and is fed by the Ulungur river.
In 1969, a canal was built through the watershed between the Ulungur and the Irtysh river in order to divert water into the lake.
During the winter, there is ice fishing.
Lake Sayram
Lake Sayram is located in the near the Tian Shan Mountains, Xinjiang, China.
In the Kazakh language Sayram means 'blessing'.
It is also known as Santai Haizi.
It is the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang and also the highest.
In the Kazakh language Sayram means 'blessing'.
It is also known as Santai Haizi.
It is the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang and also the highest.
Lake Rakshastal
Lake Rakshastal is a lake in , , lying close to the west of Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash. The Satluj River originates at Rakshastal's northwestern tip.
According to Hindu mythology, this lake was created by the demon King Ravana for the express purpose of garnering superpowers through acts of devotion and meditation to the Lord Shiva who was presiding on Mount Kailash. It was upon the banks of a special island in this lake that he would make daily offering with one of his ten heads as a sacrifice to please the Lord Shiva. Finally, on the tenth day, Lord Shiva was moved enough by his devotion and granted Ravana his wish to obtain superpowers. This lake is set as a contrast to the holy god-created Lake Manasarovar.
Despite its close proximity to Lake Manasarovar -- over the road to Purang County, Lake Rakshastal does not share the lore of worship with its east neighbor. Named 'lake of the demon', Lake Rakshastal is considered to be the residence of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Ceylon in Hindu myth. In Buddhism, Lake Manasarovar, which is round like the sun, and Lake Rakshastal, shaped as a crescent, are respectively regarded as 'brightness' and 'darkness'. Its salty water, a stark contrast to the fresh water of Lake Manasarovar, produces no waterweeds or fish and is considered poisonous by locals.
However, despite its notoriety, Lake Rakshastal bears no less beauty than other lakes in Tibet. Originally joined with Lake Manasarovar and later separated by geological movements, it is still connected with Lake Manasarovar by a natural channel, Ganga Chhu. It covers a total area of 70 km? , at an altitude of 4,752m . Though absent of nearby grasslands, the white cobbles, the hills and the island colored with dark red, and the deep blue lake water present another distinctive picture absent from many of the places more frequented by visitors.
According to Hindu mythology, this lake was created by the demon King Ravana for the express purpose of garnering superpowers through acts of devotion and meditation to the Lord Shiva who was presiding on Mount Kailash. It was upon the banks of a special island in this lake that he would make daily offering with one of his ten heads as a sacrifice to please the Lord Shiva. Finally, on the tenth day, Lord Shiva was moved enough by his devotion and granted Ravana his wish to obtain superpowers. This lake is set as a contrast to the holy god-created Lake Manasarovar.
Despite its close proximity to Lake Manasarovar -- over the road to Purang County, Lake Rakshastal does not share the lore of worship with its east neighbor. Named 'lake of the demon', Lake Rakshastal is considered to be the residence of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Ceylon in Hindu myth. In Buddhism, Lake Manasarovar, which is round like the sun, and Lake Rakshastal, shaped as a crescent, are respectively regarded as 'brightness' and 'darkness'. Its salty water, a stark contrast to the fresh water of Lake Manasarovar, produces no waterweeds or fish and is considered poisonous by locals.
However, despite its notoriety, Lake Rakshastal bears no less beauty than other lakes in Tibet. Originally joined with Lake Manasarovar and later separated by geological movements, it is still connected with Lake Manasarovar by a natural channel, Ganga Chhu. It covers a total area of 70 km? , at an altitude of 4,752m . Though absent of nearby grasslands, the white cobbles, the hills and the island colored with dark red, and the deep blue lake water present another distinctive picture absent from many of the places more frequented by visitors.
Lake Poyang
Lake Poyang , located in Jiangxi Province is the largest freshwater lake in China.
It has a surface area of 3,585 km? and a volume of 25 km?. Its average depth is 8 meters. The lake provides habitat for a half million migratory birds, and is a favorite destination for birding. It is fed by the and Xiu rivers, which connect to the Yangtse through a channel.
During the winter, the lake becomes the home of large numbers of migrating s, up to 90% of which winter over there.
There has been a fishing ban in place since 2002.
In 2007 fears were expressed that China's finless porpoise, known locally as the or "river pig", a native of the lake, might follow the baiji, the Yangtze river dolphin, into extinction.
Calls have been made for action to be taken to save the porpoise, of which there are about 1,400 left living, with between 700 and 900 in the Yangtze, with about another 500 in Poyang and Dongting Lakes.
2007 population levels are less than half the 1997 levels, and the population is dropping at a rate of 7.3 per cent per year.
Sand dredging has become a mainstay of local economic development in the last few years, and is an important source of revenue in the region that borders Poyang Lake. But at the same time, high-density dredging projects have been the principal cause of the death of the local wildlife population.
Dredging makes the waters of the lake muddier, and the porpoises cannot see as far as they once could, and have to rely on their highly-developed sonar systems to avoid obstacles and look for food. Large ships enter and leave the lake at the rate of two a minute and such a high density of shipping means the porpoises have difficulty hearing their food, and also cannot swim freely from one bank to the other.
In 1363, the Battle of Lake Poyang took place there, and it is claimed to be the largest naval battle in history.
It has a surface area of 3,585 km? and a volume of 25 km?. Its average depth is 8 meters. The lake provides habitat for a half million migratory birds, and is a favorite destination for birding. It is fed by the and Xiu rivers, which connect to the Yangtse through a channel.
During the winter, the lake becomes the home of large numbers of migrating s, up to 90% of which winter over there.
Environmental issues
There has been a fishing ban in place since 2002.
In 2007 fears were expressed that China's finless porpoise, known locally as the or "river pig", a native of the lake, might follow the baiji, the Yangtze river dolphin, into extinction.
Calls have been made for action to be taken to save the porpoise, of which there are about 1,400 left living, with between 700 and 900 in the Yangtze, with about another 500 in Poyang and Dongting Lakes.
2007 population levels are less than half the 1997 levels, and the population is dropping at a rate of 7.3 per cent per year.
Sand dredging has become a mainstay of local economic development in the last few years, and is an important source of revenue in the region that borders Poyang Lake. But at the same time, high-density dredging projects have been the principal cause of the death of the local wildlife population.
Dredging makes the waters of the lake muddier, and the porpoises cannot see as far as they once could, and have to rely on their highly-developed sonar systems to avoid obstacles and look for food. Large ships enter and leave the lake at the rate of two a minute and such a high density of shipping means the porpoises have difficulty hearing their food, and also cannot swim freely from one bank to the other.
In history
In 1363, the Battle of Lake Poyang took place there, and it is claimed to be the largest naval battle in history.
Lake Nansi
Lake Nansi , or Weishan Lake, located in Shandong Province in China, is the largest freshwater lake in the north of the country. It consists of four lakes: Weishan , Zhaoyang , Nanyang , Dushan .
Lake Kanas
Lake Kanas lies near the Altai mountains, in Xinjiang, China. It is China's deepest freshwater lake. About 117 different kinds of birds live along it.
There is a large population of Tuvans in the area.
There have been sightings of large lake creatures in the waters. A video was taken and shown in the local Chinese media where numerous unidentifiable creatures can be seen.
There is a large population of Tuvans in the area.
There have been sightings of large lake creatures in the waters. A video was taken and shown in the local Chinese media where numerous unidentifiable creatures can be seen.
Lake Jingpo
Lake Jingpo, or Jingbo, 镜泊湖, is a lake located on the Wandashan Mountains, in Ningan County, Heilongjiang in China, in the upper reaches of Mudanjiang River.
With the original name of Meituohu Lake, Huhanhai Lake and Bi’erteng Lake, Jingbo Lake literally means: 'Mirror Lake'. The corresponding words are "镜泊湖"
The length of the lake from north to south is 45 kilometers and the widest distance between east and west is only 6 kilometers. The area is 95 square kilometers and the storage capacity is 1.63 billion cubic meters. The south part of lake is shallow with the deepest place in the northern part at 62 meters.
The lake was created about 10,000 years ago when volcanic eruptions in the region blocked the flow of the Mudanjiang River.
The northern side of the river cascades down the Diaoshuilou Falls, a 40 meter waterfall formed by the lake. This lake is famous for its craggy limestone cliffs and its turquoise waters containing 40 types of fish and fresh water coral.
With the original name of Meituohu Lake, Huhanhai Lake and Bi’erteng Lake, Jingbo Lake literally means: 'Mirror Lake'. The corresponding words are "镜泊湖"
The length of the lake from north to south is 45 kilometers and the widest distance between east and west is only 6 kilometers. The area is 95 square kilometers and the storage capacity is 1.63 billion cubic meters. The south part of lake is shallow with the deepest place in the northern part at 62 meters.
The lake was created about 10,000 years ago when volcanic eruptions in the region blocked the flow of the Mudanjiang River.
The northern side of the river cascades down the Diaoshuilou Falls, a 40 meter waterfall formed by the lake. This lake is famous for its craggy limestone cliffs and its turquoise waters containing 40 types of fish and fresh water coral.
Lake Hulun
Lake Hulun, also known as Dalai nuur, is located in Inner Mongolia, China. It is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in all of China, covering approximately 2,339 km?.
It is a tourist destination during the summer for businessmen from Beijing and Shanghai, but during off times, the lake's visitors are few. The lake isn't far from Manzhouli, which is on a major rail-line. Although there are several villages nearby, Manzhouli is the nearest city or reputable size.
It is a tourist destination during the summer for businessmen from Beijing and Shanghai, but during off times, the lake's visitors are few. The lake isn't far from Manzhouli, which is on a major rail-line. Although there are several villages nearby, Manzhouli is the nearest city or reputable size.
Lake Hongze
Lake Hongze is located in Jiangsu Province, China and is encompassed by the cities Suqian and Huai'an. Lake Hongze is the fourth largest freshwater lake in China. Lake Hongze has become four times larger since the 1100s when the Yellow River changed its course. The heavy sendiment from Yellow River blocked the course of Huai River and diverted the water from Huai toward the lake.
Lake Dongting
Lake Dongting, or Dongting Lake is a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan Province of China. It is a flood-basin of the Yangtze River ; hence the lake's size depends on the season. The provinces of Hubei and Hunan are named after their location relative to the lake: ''Hubei'' means "North of the Lake" and ''Hunan'' means "South of the Lake" in .
Dongting Lake is famous in Chinese culture as the place of origin of Dragon boat racing. It is the site of Junshan island, and is a home to the Finless Porpoise, which is endangered in China.
In the July-September period, flood water from the flows into the lake, enlarging it greatly. The lake's area, which normally is 2,820 km?, may increase to 20,000 km? in flood season, when vast amounts of water and sediment from the Chang Jiang flow into the lake. The lake is also fed by four rivers: the , , and rivers. In addition, the Xiao River flows into the Xiang near Changsha, before the Xiang flows into the lake. Ocean-going vessels can travel through the Xiang to reach Changsha.
During the Han Dynasty, Yunmeng Marsh , which lies to the north of Dongting Lake in Hubei Province, served as the main flood-basin of the Yangtze. The rich sediment of the marsh attracted farmers. Embankments were built, keeping the river out, and the Dongting Lake area south of the Yangtze gradually became the river's main flood-basin.
At that time, Dongting Lake was China's largest lake. Because of its size, it gained the name ''Eight-hundred-li-Dongting'' . Nowadays, it is the second-largest, after Poyang Lake , as much of the lake has been .
The area is well-known in Chinese history and . Dragon boat racing is said to have begun on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake as a search for the body of Qu Yuan , the Chu poet , and a dragon-king is said to live at the bottom of the lake.
Junshan , which was formerly a Daoist retreat, is a famous one-kilometer island with 72 peaks in the middle of the lake. The island is also famous for its Junshan Yinzhen tea. The basin of Dongting Lake and its surrounding area is famous for its scenic beauty, which has been encapsulated in the phrase 瀟湘湖南 .
The scenery of the Jiuyi Mountains and of the Xiao and Xiang rivers below is often mentioned in Chinese poetry. During the Song Dynasty, it became the fashion to paint this region's scenery in a set of eight scenes, usually entitled as '' Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang''. The fashion spread to Japan, where eventually other famous places were substituted for the Xiao and Xiang rivers.
In 2007 fears were expressed that China's Finless Porpoise, a native of the lake, might follow the baiji, the Yangtze river dolphin, into extinction.
There have been calls for action to save the finless porpoise, of which there are about 1400 left living, with between 700 and 900 in the Yangtze, with about another 500 in Poyang and Dongting Lakes.
2007 population levels are less than half the 1997 levels, and the population is dropping at a rate of 7.3 per cent per year.
Pressure on the finless porpoise population on Poyang Lake comes from the high numbers of ships passing through and sand dredging.
After flooding of the Yangtze River in late June 2007, approximately 2 billion mice were displaced from the islands of the lake. The mice invaded surrounding communities, damaging crops and dikes and forcing the government to construct walls and ditches to control the population.
The lake was recently featured on news services as having a problem with schistosoma and malaria infected mosquitoes.
Billions of mice were forced from their holes and were sent scurrying into local villages with officials opened the sluice gates on Dongting Lake in June 2007 to relieve flooding. Villagers killed an estimated 2 billion mice by beating them with shovels or using poison. The rotting mouse corpses must be properly disposed and other animals - like cats and dogs - were the unintentional victims of the poisons.
A restoration project, the Sino-Norwegian Project of Biodiversity Protection Management, a joint Norwegian Chinese endeavor began in 2005. According to a 2007 article in the China Daily, " will be restored to a sustainable biodiversity environment within five to 10 years".
* Yiyang
* Yueyang
* Changde
Dongting Lake is famous in Chinese culture as the place of origin of Dragon boat racing. It is the site of Junshan island, and is a home to the Finless Porpoise, which is endangered in China.
Geography
In the July-September period, flood water from the flows into the lake, enlarging it greatly. The lake's area, which normally is 2,820 km?, may increase to 20,000 km? in flood season, when vast amounts of water and sediment from the Chang Jiang flow into the lake. The lake is also fed by four rivers: the , , and rivers. In addition, the Xiao River flows into the Xiang near Changsha, before the Xiang flows into the lake. Ocean-going vessels can travel through the Xiang to reach Changsha.
History
During the Han Dynasty, Yunmeng Marsh , which lies to the north of Dongting Lake in Hubei Province, served as the main flood-basin of the Yangtze. The rich sediment of the marsh attracted farmers. Embankments were built, keeping the river out, and the Dongting Lake area south of the Yangtze gradually became the river's main flood-basin.
At that time, Dongting Lake was China's largest lake. Because of its size, it gained the name ''Eight-hundred-li-Dongting'' . Nowadays, it is the second-largest, after Poyang Lake , as much of the lake has been .
Culture and mythology
The area is well-known in Chinese history and . Dragon boat racing is said to have begun on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake as a search for the body of Qu Yuan , the Chu poet , and a dragon-king is said to live at the bottom of the lake.
Junshan , which was formerly a Daoist retreat, is a famous one-kilometer island with 72 peaks in the middle of the lake. The island is also famous for its Junshan Yinzhen tea. The basin of Dongting Lake and its surrounding area is famous for its scenic beauty, which has been encapsulated in the phrase 瀟湘湖南 .
The scenery of the Jiuyi Mountains and of the Xiao and Xiang rivers below is often mentioned in Chinese poetry. During the Song Dynasty, it became the fashion to paint this region's scenery in a set of eight scenes, usually entitled as '' Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang''. The fashion spread to Japan, where eventually other famous places were substituted for the Xiao and Xiang rivers.
Environmental issues
In 2007 fears were expressed that China's Finless Porpoise, a native of the lake, might follow the baiji, the Yangtze river dolphin, into extinction.
There have been calls for action to save the finless porpoise, of which there are about 1400 left living, with between 700 and 900 in the Yangtze, with about another 500 in Poyang and Dongting Lakes.
2007 population levels are less than half the 1997 levels, and the population is dropping at a rate of 7.3 per cent per year.
Pressure on the finless porpoise population on Poyang Lake comes from the high numbers of ships passing through and sand dredging.
After flooding of the Yangtze River in late June 2007, approximately 2 billion mice were displaced from the islands of the lake. The mice invaded surrounding communities, damaging crops and dikes and forcing the government to construct walls and ditches to control the population.
The lake was recently featured on news services as having a problem with schistosoma and malaria infected mosquitoes.
Billions of mice were forced from their holes and were sent scurrying into local villages with officials opened the sluice gates on Dongting Lake in June 2007 to relieve flooding. Villagers killed an estimated 2 billion mice by beating them with shovels or using poison. The rotting mouse corpses must be properly disposed and other animals - like cats and dogs - were the unintentional victims of the poisons.
A restoration project, the Sino-Norwegian Project of Biodiversity Protection Management, a joint Norwegian Chinese endeavor began in 2005. According to a 2007 article in the China Daily, " will be restored to a sustainable biodiversity environment within five to 10 years".
Major cities on the Lake
* Yiyang
* Yueyang
* Changde
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