Qinghai Lake -- the mirror on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Author: Hao Tianjiao / Bai Zhenkui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Qinghai Lake is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai Plateau and the northwestern part of Xining City. It is China's largest inland lake and also China's largest saltwater lake. It is vast and boundless, like a huge mirror bestowed by nature on the Qinghai Plateau. Anciently known as "Western Sea," it was also called "Xianshui" or "Xianhai." In Tibetan, it is called "Co Wombo," meaning "Blue Lake"; in Mongolian, it is called "Kuku Nur," meaning "Blue Ocean." Due to the area around Qinghai Lake once belonging to the Biehe tribe's pastures, it was also called "Biehe Qianghai." During the Han Dynasty, it was also referred to as "Immortal Sea." It was only from the Northern Wei Dynasty that it was renamed "Qinghai Lake."
Qinghai Lake covers an area of 4,456 square kilometers, with a circumference of over 360 kilometers, making it twice the size of the famous Taihu Lake. The lake is elongated east-west and narrow north-south, resembling an ellipse. At first glance, it looks like a large white poplar leaf. The average depth of Qinghai Lake is about 19 meters, with a maximum depth of 28 meters, and it holds a volume of 105 billion cubic meters of water. The lake surface is at an altitude of 3,260 meters, higher than both Mount Tai and Mount Taishan. Due to its high elevation, the climate is very cool. Even in the scorching summer, the average daily temperature is only around 15°C, making it an ideal summer resort.
Qinghai Lake is surrounded by four majestic mountains: the grand Datong Mountain to the north, the towering Riyue Mountain to the east, the winding Qingnanshan to the south, and the rugged Xiping Mountain to the west. All four mountains stand between 3,600 and 5,000 meters above sea level. From afar, they resemble four towering natural barriers, tightly embracing Qinghai Lake. From the foot of the mountains to the lakeside lies a vast, flat, and boundless grassland. The misty, emerald-green Qinghai Lake, like a giant jade plate, is between the mountains and grasslands, creating a magnificent and picturesque landscape of mountains, lake, and grassland.
Located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai Plateau, known as the "Roof of the World," Qinghai Lake lies between Datong Mountain, Riyue Mountain, and Qingnanshan in northeastern Qinghai Province. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, it boasts a magnificent landscape and is China's largest saltwater lake, anciently known as "Western Lake." The scenic area is dominated by the plateau lake, supplemented by grasslands, snow-capped mountains, deserts, and other landscapes. The lake features five islands of unique shapes: Haixinshan, Sankaishi, Niudao, Haixishan, and Shadao. The mountains are lush with greenery, and the landscape is distinctive, with Niudao being particularly famous. The lake surface is at an altitude of 3,266 meters, stretching about 90 kilometers east-west and 40 kilometers north-south, covering an area of 4,635 square kilometers. Its drainage basin is ten times larger than the lake surface, fed by 50 short rivers from all directions of the three mountains, with no outlet to the sea, making it China's largest inland lake.
In Mongolian, Qinghai Lake is called "Kunor," and in Tibetan, it is called "Co Wombo," meaning "Blue Lake." The lake has low oxygen content, high salt content, and sparse plankton, with a transparency of over 8-9 meters, giving it a particularly deep blue hue. The lake area is full of vitality, with herds of yaks and cattle grazing and flocks of sheep eating grass, creating a pastoral scene of "The wind blows, grass low, see yaks and sheep." The lake has two major wonders: the fishing grounds and the bird island. Qinghai Lake is rich in Haoyu, making it a bountiful natural fishery.
The Qinghai Plateau has been a revered land since ancient times, with major attractions including Haixinshan and Niudao. Niudao, standing 10 meters above the lake surface, is known as the "Kingdom of Birds." Every spring, thousands of birds from India, Nepal, and other distant places migrate to Qinghai Lake to breed, and in autumn, they return south with their young. The Chinese government places great importance on this bird resource and has established a dedicated protection organization on the island.
Haixinshan, also known as Longju Island, covers an area of about 1 square kilometer. Here, the water is clear and the scenery is beautiful. In the past, people built many temples and houses on Haixinshan, with some lamas practicing meditation on the island and many herders coming to graze. "Shan Fo Temple" has become a unique landmark of the area.
Qinghai Lake is beautiful and abundant, producing delicious and nutritious Haoyu. The lakeside is dotted with vast natural pastures. The area experiences heavy snow in winter and abundant rainfall in summer and autumn, with lush grass, making it an excellent condition for developing animal husbandry. It has now become an important animal husbandry base in Qinghai Province.
Around Qinghai Lake, there is ample water and rainfall, fertile land, and herds of cattle and sheep, with pastoral songs echoing everywhere. While vigorously developing animal husbandry, the local people have also fully developed agriculture, primarily focused on oil and feed production.