Alpine Lake

Alpine Lake

The Nujiang Grand Canyon is home to numerous alpine lakes, which are like scattered pearls nestled among the towering peaks. At an altitude of 4,138 meters on the Biluo Snow Mountain, there is an alpine lake marked on the map as "Heinong Lake." Regarding this mysterious alpine lake, there is such a legend: it is said that long, long ago, on the other side of the lofty Biluo Snow Mountain, there was a beautiful village. In the village, there was a beautiful lake, and by the lakeside lived a widow and her family. One day, the widow’s only son went to the lake to fetch water but fell in and drowned. The widow was heartbroken and, carrying a copper pot, went to the lakeside to curse the lake, wishing for it to disappear. (It is said that curses made with a copper pot are especially powerful.) After speaking, she threw the copper pot into the lake. That very night, deep in the night, the villagers were awakened by strange sounds and bright lights emerging from the lake. They saw a brilliant white light, shaped like a giant dragon, flying off toward the other side of the mountain. Soon after, the lake in the village gradually shrank, the water level dropped little by little, until it eventually dried up completely. Meanwhile, at the spot where the light had landed, a new lake appeared (which is the present-day Heinong Lake). One day, a hunter went up the mountain to hunt and, upon reaching the lake, made a wish before setting his hunting snares: “Dragon Pool, oh Dragon Pool, if you help us catch prey in all nine of our snares today, we will offer you nine bowls of wine, nine measures of rice, and nine eggs in your honor.” After saying this, the hunters went up the mountain to set their snares. A few days later, when they returned to collect the snares, they found that all nine had indeed caught prey. Overjoyed, the hunters sang hunting god songs and danced hunting god dances. Just then, they suddenly heard a beautiful little bird in the tree calling out to them: “Where’s the nine bowls of wine?! Where’s the nine measures of rice?! Where are the nine eggs?!” But the hunters, caught up in their singing and dancing, paid no attention to the little bird’s words. They took the game from the snares and sent one hunter to the lake to fetch water. After quite some time, the hunter who had gone for water still hadn’t returned, so they sent another, but even after a long wait, no one came back. One after another, several hunters went, yet none returned. The last remaining hunter grew suspicious and ran to the lake, but he saw no one—only the little bird calling out, “Those who break their promises will face retribution.” Only then did the hunter realize what had happened—he had lied...

Since then, the people here have used this story to teach their descendants to be honest and keep their promises, and they have passed down this tale from generation to generation to this day.