Lake of Heaven National Park

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China's north westernmost borderland, is characterized by a dry continental climate, barren soil with sparse vegetation, and deserts without any vegetation in many areas. It is miraculous, however, that an immense body of lovely water, called Lake of Heaven (Lake Tianchi), is hemmed in by the heavily forested peaks here in this park, for which this national park is named.

Lake of Heaven National Park lies on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in Fukang County, 100 kilometers southeast of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Nestling on the high mountains of 1,980 meters above sea level, the mirror-like lake is one of China's well-known alpine lakes, that covers an area of 4.9 square kilometers, and its remarkably clear water reaches a maximum depth of 105 meters. It is filled with emeraldgreen water that comes from the Sangong River beneath the Icecapped Bagda Peak, and the snow-melt water and rainwater also make a source for the lake.

It is generally deemed that the mountain mud-rocks blocked up the river and gave birth to the lake. The crystal-clear water of the lake is so pure that sunlight can penetrate to a great depth, and the abundant fish can be distinctly spotted several meters down. When clouds drift across the azure sky or hang suspend over the sky, the lake mirrors the color of the sky and the clouds in the sky. The stately peaks picturesquely framing the lake are magnificently reflected in the lake; and the evergreen forests on the peaks often color the lake into deep green from bank to bank. A sudden rainfall brings countless drops of water that hang from the spruce leaves and drop into the lake, making nice music sounds. Breezes fret the surface of the lake, and the green peaks display their inverted images in the water, both dancing in the rhythmic water drops from the trees.

The clear lakes, ponds and streams sprinkle in the alpine forests, making a great difference from the dry desert landscapes of northwestern China.

Boating over the lake, enjoying the stunning sights of the forests, the seclude gullies, the snow-capped peaks, and listening to the birdsongs are amazingly interesting, impressing you with a feeling of a fairyland. The absence of traffic in the park makes it a terrific escape from the hustle and bustle of cities.

Wildflowers, wild rose and many others, bloom through the warm months in an amazing variety and profusion, making a multiple combination of red, yellow, blue, purple and white beside the lake, on the stream banks, grasslands, forest floor and alongside the trails. The alpine meadows are also studded with lovely masses of wildflowers, making the landscape more splendid.

Scrambling up to 4,000 meters above sea level on the Bagda Peak is not effortless, but it is rewarded by the spectacular alpine wildflower-the snow lotus (Saussurea involucra/a), one of this park's best-kept secrets. This kind of cold-tolerant wild flower thrives on the high mountains here. It has a short stem of 40-80 centimeters tall, more than 10 light green leaves above which there are over 10 pure white and transparent petals that envelop a cluster of purplered and orange stamens. Its flowers, resembling water lotus flowers in shape and about 15 centimeters in size, burst into bloom and fill the air with sweet refreshing fragrance when the mountains are mantled with snow and ice. The local people highly deem the snow lotus as the most lovely flower because it grows heartily in such hardest natural conditions around the snow line, making their existence admirable; and furthermore, it offers human beings with valuable medicinal materials that have curative effects on arthritis and women's diseases.

Moonlit-night affords a particularly alluring sight when the peaks look like shadows and the water glitters in the moonlight.The lake is veiled in mist and clouds that hang suspend over it like white or gray flowers, enwrapping the lake with charming and mysterious atmosphere, which is reminiscent of a world in some a fairy tales. It is not a fanciful world, however, it is a world in the reality.

Winter brings quite different beautiful sights. Fierce winds whisk and mound snow both over the lake and the forests. Everything is cloaked in white, making up an ermine-white blanket, and creating a world of serenity.

Local legend tells that the Mother of the Western Skies had feasted her distinguished guests and immortals with peaches called "Peach Feast" beside this lake long long ago. Qian Long, one of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), therefore, changed the Yaochi Lake, the former name of this lake, into the current name Lake of Heaven meaning Mirror of Heaven or Magic Lake in a fairyland.

Soaring 5,445 meters above sea level, the Bagda Peak is the highest peak in the eastern Tianshan Mountains, and is snow-capped the year-round. The 50 modern glaciers radiating from this peak and its surrounding peaks provide life-giving waters that are vital to the development of the green oasis in this region.

The dense primeval forests of Siberian fir (Abies Sibirica) and schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana) lend their green color to the entire mountain slopes. The evergreen trees, 30-40 meters tall and spireshaped, tower to the skies when looking from a distance, and they look like a beautiful green belt twining around the slopes when overlooking from the mountain-tops. They are so dense that they leave almost no space for a deer to go through in between. They are so vigorous that they still send out juvenile trees even from some winddown old trees whose roots are almost entirely exposed over the ground. The forests are well floored with lush shrubs and grasses.The fir and spruce send forth their sweet scent further away when breezes rustle their branches.

Almost 100 species of medicinal herbs grow heartily here in this park. Common and abundant are clematis Asiabell (Codonopsis clematidea), Chinese milkvetch (Astragatus sinicus) and Sinkiang fritillary (Fritillaria wal ujewii).

The natural ecosystem offers the inspiring scenery and nurtures a remarkable diversity of plant life and wildlife. More than 200 species of seed plants thrive here; 24 species of beasts, 50 species of birds, 2 species of reptiles, 1 species of amphibian and 3 species of fish have their home in the park. Brown bear-the largest and the most fierce bear in China, snow leopard, red deer, roe deer, reindeer, argali sheep, mountain goat, lynx, beaver, Tianshan ground squirrel and stone-marten are permanent denizens, who roam the forests and the grasslands. Swan, wild goose, heron and other waterfowls swim happily in the lakes and the ponds. Lark, sparrow and many other birds sing in the forests or beside the lakes, or chatter at something that they have spotted. The lakes and the ponds teem with fish, but fishing is prohibited for protection purpose.

Grasslands around the lakes, at the mountain foot and on the alpine meadows above the dense spruce forests provide excellent grazing grounds, which are packed with grazing cattle and sheep at summertime.