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Bitahai Lake
Situated about 32 kilometers (about 19.9
miles) away from Zhongdian County, Bitahai Lake, a fault
lake, is an intact natural attraction with various species
of flora and fauna and, of course, picturesque landscapes.
In Tibetan language, Bita means "a piece of land as
soft as cattle hair felt". With an altitude of 3,539
meters (about 11,608 feet), the lake is the highest in Yunnan
Province. Shaped like lively deer, it also covers an area
of 166 hectares.
Famed as pearl in the highlands, the lake
is surrounded by wooded mountains and resembles a beryl
inlaid among them. The surrounding mountains are densely
scattered with azaleas, and each year in late spring and
early summer, when the flowers are in full bloom, the hillsides
seem to be dyed red, echoing harmoniously with the clear
waters in the lake.
Bitahai Lake's fish are as abundant as its
natural beauty. Rowing a boat on the lake, one can see shoals
of precious "Bitahai Double-Lip Fish" - an ancient
species left over from the Fourth Glacial Age - swimming
back and forth about 10 meters beneath the surface. The
small streams beside the lake are home to amphibious "Codfish",
which produce a valuable medicine.
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Each year, when azalea blooms cover
the mountains, the wind blows the petals into the lake,
causing all of the fish to vie with each other to eat them.
They eat so many that they seem drunk and float on the surface
- an enchanting sight known as "Fish Drunk on Azalea's
Petals. Around Bitahai Lake are vast meadows and
deep forests - ideal habitat for rare animals including
red-footed pheasant, silver pheasant, wild bull, leopard
and lynx. Every April when the snow begins to melt, wildflowers
bloom profusely in the meadows. The glorious colors shine
like twinkling stars in a sky of fresh green grass. Local
Tibetans pitch their tents in the pastureland and their
loyal dogs round up any of the animals who try to stray.
In the night, when the day draws to a close, a bright full
moon arises above the eastern mountains and over the tops
of the trees. From the small cottage of the forest ranger
comes the sound of joyous singing and dancing.
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