The Heavenly Lake (Tianchi)

The most famous of the sights in the Changbai region is the Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), the deepest alpine lake in China, with a depth of around 300 meters. The lake is the starting point for any hikes around the area and the minibuses here will drop you off at the entrance. The lake is the center point of one of the many Volcanic Craters that are scattered throughout Changbaishan, and this is the largest of them.

The egg-shaped Tianchi, with a circumference of 13km, covers a total area of 10 square kilometers on top the mountain. The Chinese here like to say that Tianchi, at an elevation of 2,194 meters above sea level and surrounded by 16 peaks around, is like a sapphire set in gold. The lake, storing up to two billion cubic meters of water, is huge, the source of three of Jilin's most famous rivers, the Songhua, the Tumen and the Yalu. The water in the lake also comes from a variety of sources, from rivers, natural precipitation and the springs below.

Tianchi literally means "heavenly pool", but visitors should be warned about a variety of factors that may make your trip a little less than perfect. The climate around the lake is often less than merciful, and travelers often complain about shrouding mists and rain that falls out of the blue. The lake area is also often fairly full of tourists, and the usual litter that accompanies them. Finally the lake comes attached with myths, most alarming is reports of dragons or monsters that dwell in the depths.

Thankfully most of these factors can be combated. For the weather, raincoats and sunscreen are recommended, and try to remind yourself that the mists add a little unearthliness to the lake. It is also fairly easy to get off the beaten track here, away from both tourists and litter. This is helped by the fact that many of the visitors to the lake are here for day trips, so they disappear in mid afternoon. Against the monster, cynicism will hopefully be your best weapon.