Tianshan Heaven Lake

Tianshan Heaven Lake is located in Fukang City, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is a natural scenic spot centered on alpine lakes. Tianshan Heaven Lake Scenic Area is centered on Heaven Lake, with four complete vertical natural landscape belts, snow-capped mountains, glaciers and alpine lakes as its main features. It is based on the ancient Yaochi Queen Mother mythology, religion and unique ethnic folk customs as its cultural connotation, integrating forests, grasslands, snow-capped mountains and cultural landscapes, and has a unique scenery.

Highlights of Tianshan Heaven Lake

Heaven Lake

Heaven Lake

Heaven Lake is a high mountain barrier lake formed by the ancient glacier debris flow blocking the river channel. The lake surface is crescent-shaped, the lake water is clear and transparent, crystal clear like jade, shining charmingly under the sun. Surrounded by mountains, green grass, wild flowers, tall and green spruce and pine trees all over the mountains, set off against the lake, forming a picturesque scenery, and is known as the "Pearl of Tianshan".

Xiwangmu Ancestral Temple

Xiwangmu Ancestral Temple

The Xiwangmu Ancestral Temple (Xiwangmu, a goddess in Chinese mythology and folk beliefs, is also a female immortal in Taoism.) was first built in 1221 AD in the early Yuan Dynasty, with a history of nearly 800 years. Climb up to the Xiwangmu Ancestral Temple, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Heaven Lake, listen to the ancient bells, and experience the ancient and mysterious legends in the myths. This Taoist temple is built on the mountain and is popular. It is suitable for tourists who like culture. This Taoist temple hanging on the cliff requires crossing 200 steep steps. The temple retains the original murals of the Qing Dynasty.

Recommended Shooting Spot: Using a telephoto lens on the platform in front of the temple allows you to capture the architecture and Bogda Peak in the same frame.

Little Heavenly Lake East

Little Heavenly Lake East is located 2 kilometers northeast of Tianchi. It is the drainage outlet of Heavenly Lake and is also called Black Dragon Pond. The water in the pool is emerald green and unfathomable. There are pine and cypress trees around the pool. The waterfall is about 100 meters high and very spectacular. The name of the scene is "Hanging Spring Waterfall". Every late spring and early summer, when the ice and snow melt, the water in the pool rises and falls through this channel, forming a rolling waterfall nearly 100 meters high.

Little Heavenly Lake West

Little Heavenly Lake Wes lies along the roadside, 2 kilometers from the base of Heavenly Lake. Shaped like a full moon, the lake boasts crystal-clear yet deep waters, reflecting the towering Tianshan spruce trees that encircle it. Atop the mountain above the lake stands a delicate Taoist pavilion, its architecture exquisitely unique. On moonlit nights, when the bright moon hangs in the sky, its serene reflection shimmers on the water like a piece of jade, giving rise to the poetic name "Longtan Biyue" (Jade Moon over Dragon Pond).

Tiewa Temple Ruins

The Tiewa Temple Ruins lie on the west bank of Tianchi Lake, 700 meters from the lakeshore. The temple complex underwent multiple renovations and reconstructions throughout history. The existing ruins feature remnants of the mountain gate, main hall and monastic quarters, offering a glimpse into the past prosperity of ancient Buddhist culture and the vicissitudes of time.

Tips: It is recommended to start from the wooden plank road next to the Xiwangmu Ancestral Temple and walk clockwise. You can take photos of the reflection of Bogda Peak along the way. In autumn, the golden snow-capped spruce forms a sharp contrast with the blue lake water, which is the best time for photography.

Educational Value

Tianchi is a typical moraine lake, formed during the Quaternary glacial movement about 2 million years ago. The "U-shaped valley" formed by glacial erosion and the moraine accumulated after the glacier retreat blocked the valley to form a barrier lake. This process can directly demonstrate the development mechanism of glacial landforms. By observing the lake basin morphology and surrounding glacial erosion landforms on the spot, we can understand the shaping effect of glacial movement on the surface.

Activities to do at Tianshan Heaven Lake

Cruise experience: Electric boats can directly reach the primeval forest on the west bank, and speedboats are suitable for fast trips around the lake. It is recommended to choose the evening time, when the sunset shines on the top of the snow-capped mountain, which is the most spectacular.

Aerial cable car: The cable car rises to an altitude of 3056 meters, and vertically distributed spruce belts, meadow belts and glacial relics can be seen along the way. It is recommended to take it in the morning, when the light is most suitable for panoramic photography.

Scientific research: Monitoring of the material balance of the Bogda Peak glacier, analysis of Tianchi sediment cores.