Xinjiang’s Yaochi (Tianshan Tianchi) is a world-famous alpine lake scenic area and a great place for tourism and sightseeing.?
Tianshan Tianchi, anciently known as ‘Yaochi’, is located halfway up the mountain under Mount Bogda in Fukang City, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It is one of the first national scenic spots and a national 5A-level tourist attraction, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2013.?
The lake surface of Tianchi is at an altitude of 1,910 meters, with a north-south length of 3.5 kilometers and an east-west width of 0.8 to 1.5 kilometers. The deepest point reaches 103 meters (some say 105 meters).?
The lake water is clear like a mirror, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with snow-capped peaks reflected in it. The scenery is enchanting and it is known as the ‘Bright Pearl of Tianshan’.?
At Tianshan Tianchi, tourists can appreciate four complete vertical natural landscape zones from the foothills to the mountaintop, including the foothill desert zone, mountain grassland zone, mountain coniferous forest zone, and subalpine meadow zone. These landscape zones intertwine to form a unique and rich natural ecological panorama of Tianshan Tianchi.?
Moreover, within the Tianchi scenic area, there are multiple attractions worth visiting, such as West Little Tianchi (Jade Maiden Pool), East Little Tianchi (Black Dragon Pool), Stone Gate, Flying Dragon Pool, etc. Each one is breathtakingly beautiful.?
In addition to natural scenery, Tianshan Tianchi also contains a rich cultural heritage. Legend has it that this is where the Queen Mother of the West bathed and where she met King Mu of Zhou. These mythical stories add a layer of mysterious cultural color to Tianchi.?
On the eastern shore of Tianchi, there is also a Temple of the Queen Mother of the West, which is an important site of Taoist culture and attracts many believers to come and worship every year.?
In short, Xinjiang’s Yaochi (Tianshan Tianchi) is a tourist attraction that combines natural scenery with cultural landscapes. Whether it’s adventure-loving tourists or culture-enthusiastic travelers, they can all find their own fun here.?