Xinjiang chartered tour: 0991-8585456 (same number)
Tian Chi Scenic Area: Xinjiang Tian Chi is a national 5A-level scenic area and also a World Natural Heritage site and National Geological Park. Many independent travelers who have visited Tian Chi do not know which attractions are worth seeing there because they do not have a guide to lead and introduce them. They say that Tian Chi has nothing to see and that they have only seen a big lake…
Tian Chi is located on the mountainside of the northern slope of Mount Bogda in the Tianshan Mountains. It is a glacier-formed ice-dammed lake (similar to a quake lake) that formed 2 million years ago, with a narrow and elongated shape resembling a gourd. It stretches about 3 kilometers north to south and is 1.5 kilometers wide at its widest point east to west, covering a total area of 4.9 square kilometers. The lake surface is at an altitude of 1,928 meters, with a maximum depth of 105 meters. It got its name from an inscription made by Ming Liang, the governor of Urumqi, in the 48th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (meaning ‘celestial realm divine pond’).
Some historical literati, such as Qiu Chuji of the Song Dynasty, Ji Xiaolan of the Qing Dynasty, Guo Moruo and Jin Yong of modern times, have all traveled to Tian Chi and expressed great admiration. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, many party and state leaders have also visited Tian Chi and given it high praise.
Tian Chi was anciently known as ‘Jade Pool’. Legend has it that 3,000 years ago, King Mu held a joyous banquet and sang songs with the Queen Mother of the West by the lake, leaving a timeless story and earning Tian Chi the beautiful name of ‘Jade Pool’. In summer, the place is scenic with green mountains and clear waters, making it an excellent summer resort. Here, snow-capped peaks are reflected in the water, surrounded by spruces, with clear water like a mirror and picturesque scenery.
To the southeast of Tian Chi stands the majestic Bogda Peak (Bogda is Mongolian for Spirit Mountain or Sacred Mountain), with an altitude of 5,445 meters. Around Bogda Peak are distributed 113 glaciers, making it a natural large reservoir.
The main attractions of Tian Chi Scenic Area: 1. East Small Tian Chi, anciently known as Black Dragon Pond, is located 500 meters east of Tian Chi. It is said to be the place where the Queen Mother of the West combed her hair. Below the pond is a hundred-meter-high cliff, with a waterfall plunging straight down like a rainbow descending from the sky, creating a spectacular scene known as ‘Cascading Spring and Rainbow’.
2. West Small Tian Chi is said to be the place where the Queen Mother of the West washed her feet. It is located two kilometers northwest of Tian Chi and has the shape of a full moon. The water is clear and deep, surrounded by pine trees. The scenery is named ‘Dragon’s Pool with Jade-like Moon’, and a waterfall hangs down the side of the pool, tens of meters high, named ‘Jade Belt and Silver Curtain’.
3. Denggan Mountain is located three kilometers west of Tian Chi, with an altitude of 2,718 meters and a mountain length of three kilometers. At the peak of the mountain stand three huge stalagmites shaped like spears piercing the sky, also known as ‘Three Stones Piercing the Sky’. This is a good place to watch the sunset over Tian Chi and admire the ancient glacial landforms. Laojun Temple and Dongyue Temple are built on Denggan Mountain. In the past, a Taoist priest erected a pine pole on the mountain top with a sky lantern hanging from it, burning day and night. The citizens of Urumqi regarded the sky lantern as a divine omen. As long as the lantern remained lit, it signified peace and prosperity, so this lantern was also called the Peace Lantern. On a clear day, one can have a panoramic view of Urumqi from Denggan Mountain to the west.
4. Maya Mountain is located two kilometers west of Tian Chi, with an altitude of 3,056 meters and a mountain length of five kilometers. There are many cliffs and huge rocks on the mountain top, forming a row of mountain rocks shaped like horse teeth, hence the name Maya Mountain. From the top of Maya Mountain, one can have a panoramic view of Tian Chi to the north, the beautiful scenery of Bogda Mountain to the east, and a clear view of Urumqi to the west, with villages and farmland clearly visible.
5. The Temple of Queen Mother of the West was first built in the Yuan Dynasty. The current temple was rebuilt in 1999 on the original site and houses the statue of the Queen Mother of the West for tourists to visit.
The eight major Tian Chi (Heavenly Lake) landscapes, including Stone Gate Gap, Dragon’s Pool with Jade-like Moon, Three Stones Piercing the Sky, Pillar Stabilizing the Sea, Viewing Snow from South Mountain, Viewing Pines from West Mountain, Sea Peak Exhibition, and Cascading Spring and Waterfall, attract a large number of Chinese and foreign tourists every year. Tian Chi is about 70 kilometers away from Urumqi and is often the first stop of Li Zi’s guided tour of Northern Xinjiang’s loop road self-driving trip.
Xinjiang chartered tour: 0991-8585456 (same number)