Ningwu Tianchi (Heavenly Lake)

Ningwu Tianchi

Ningwu Tianchi is located at the foot of the Guancen Mountain, 20 kilometers southwest of Ningwu County in Shanxi Province, at an altitude of 1,954 meters. It is a cluster of high-altitude lakes, consisting of 15 natural lakes of varying sizes such as Tianchi, Yuanchi, Pipa Hai, Yazi Hai, Xiaohai Zi, Gan Hai, Linggan Hai, Shuang Hai, and Laoshifu Hai, with a total area of approximately 4 square kilometers, situated between altitudes of 1,771 and 1,849 meters. The lakes hold a water storage capacity of 8 million cubic meters, with depths of over 20 meters. The lakes are home to aquatic animals such as grass carp, common carp, crucian carp, and silver carp.

　Tianchi was historically known as Qilian Chi. During the Tang Dynasty, the Tianchi Pastoral Supervision Office was established here to breed warhorses for the imperial court, hence it was also called "Hai."

Ningwu Tianchi is located 20 kilometers southwest of Ningwu County at the northern foot of the Guancen Mountain, at an altitude of 1,954 meters—near Dong Village on the watershed between the Sanggan River and Fen River. It features 15 natural lakes of various sizes including Tianchi, Yuanchi, Pipa Hai, Yazi Hai, Xiaohai Zi, Gan Hai, Linggan Hai, Shuang Hai, and Laoshifu Hai, stretching 1.6 km in length and 1 km in width, covering a total area of about 4 square kilometers. The lakes lie between altitudes of 1,771 and 1,849 meters, with a water storage capacity of 8 million cubic meters and depths of over 20 meters. The lakes are inhabited by aquatic species such as grass carp, common carp, crucian carp, and silver carp.

The lake cluster is surrounded by high mountains and shaded by trees, with crystal-clear waters that resemble “a sparkling emerald jewel embedded atop the mountain peaks.”

Tianchi has attracted emperors, officials, poets, and scholars throughout history with its magical and enchanting scenery. In the fourth year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (608), Emperor Yang Guang of Sui toured and hunted in the northern mountains near Ningwu Tianchi, where he built the grand and luxurious Fenyang Palace by the lake. In the eleventh year of Daye (615), Emperor Yang Guang visited Tianchi with around 100,000 attendants, including officials, concubines, and palace maids, to escape the summer heat and enjoy hunting, taking full pleasure in the lake’s beauty. Xue Daoheng, the Inner Historiographer and Attendant, composed an impromptu poem titled “Ode to Tianchi Upon Imperial Command” during a banquet: “The sage reigns the world, his might shakes the frontier. Gazing afar for miles, banners stream far and near. Riding a turtle to the blue sea, controlling steeds to tread the jade pond. Mist rises from the winding bay, deep waves startle hidden dragons.” Unfortunately, this imperial palace was destroyed by Liu Wuzhou in the thirteenth year of Daye (617). This beautiful, rippling lake was also a favorite spot for literati through the ages. It is said that literati such as Ouyang Xiu and Fan Zhongyan visited here and praised the splendor of Tianchi. The Yuan Dynasty poet Yuan Haowen left behind this quatrain: “Rain washes the world clean, revealing Shanxi’s proud expanse. Without ascending to Chaoyun Peak’s northern top, one truly hasn’t visited these mountains.”

Though the ancient structures of Tianchi have been lost to time, the lake’s beautiful scenery remains eternal. The local people cherish this sacred land and hold a traditional temple fair by the lake on the 15th day of the sixth lunar month every year. In recent years, various sectors of Ningwu County have raised funds to restore the Haiying Temple from the prosperous Tang Dynasty near the lake, built a highway leading directly to the lakeside, and added recreational facilities such as sightseeing boats, fishing, and landscape photography, making it a popular tourist destination.

Historical Evolution

Tianchi, or Ningwu Tianchi, formed during the Quaternary Glacial Period of the Cenozoic Era, boasting a history of 3 million years. It is one of China’s three major high-altitude Tianchi lakes and a rare high-mountain lake. Historically known as Qilian Chi or Qilian Po, it is located 20 kilometers southwest of Ningwu County, at the eastern summit of Gongshui Ridge, at an altitude of 1,954 meters. Tianchi is also called the “Mother Sea.”

Tianchi first became a tourist destination as early as the Warring States period, about 2,300 years ago. It was officially designated as an imperial sightseeing site during the Northern Wei Dynasty. It is said that Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei once threaded seven fish with gold beads and released them into Tianchi to see if they would connect with the Sanggan River underground. He also once shot a flying whale in the lake, which was later found in the Sanggan River, over 100 li away. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Tianchi reached the peak of its popularity as a tourist attraction. Emperor Yang Guang of Sui built the magnificent Fenyang Palace around the lake. In the 15th year of the Tang Dynasty's Zhenyuan era, a royal pastoral supervision office was established around Tianchi, breeding 700,000 warhorses annually, hence Tianchi was also referred to as “Hai.”

More than two thousand years have passed, yet Tianchi still welcomes visitors from all directions with its beautiful scenery of “remaining clear in drought and not overflowing in rain, as mirror-like as ever.”

With the continuous development of tourism, Tianchi—the pearl once ranked first among the ancient Eight Scenic Spots of Ningwu and celebrated as “Tianchi’s Colorful Fish” or “Tianchi’s Sunset Glow”—has now been developed into a provincial-level scenic tourist area.

The earliest records of Tianchi can be found in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” and the “Commentary on the Water Classic.” It is also mentioned in historical texts such as the “Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government,” “Book of Sui,” “Book of Tang,” “Records of the Three Passes,” and “Questions of Jin.” Among the two Tianchi lakes recorded in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” one is Ningwu Tianchi, which features China’s most well-preserved Quaternary glacial landforms. Since ancient times, it has been a popular destination for escaping the summer heat, sightseeing, and hunting. In the peak of summer, enjoying the gentle breeze by Tianchi and admiring the beautiful scenery of the Fen River source brings immense joy. Surrounded by more than ten high-altitude lakes such as Yuanchi, Pipa Hai, Yazi Hai, Laoshifu Hai, Ligangan Hai, Waigan Hai, and Xiaohai, Tianchi stands out like a bright moon encircled by stars, offering a unique charm.

Nearby Attractions

Yuanhai (Yuan Lake) is located five kilometers north of Tianchi, atop a mountain peak surrounded by sheer cliffs, shaped like a jade plate seemingly suspended in the air, exuding a fierce general’s aura, commonly known as “Gonghai.” To the west of the lake stands a rocky peak, hanging dramatically off a cliff with a drop of 500 meters. Yuanhai is the source of the Hui River, with vast, boundless highland pastures to its east and south.

Pipa Hai is less than one kilometer from Tianchi, about ten meters higher, and shaped like a pipa (Chinese lute). Its waters are clear, reflecting the sky, clouds, distant mountains, and nearby ridges. Legend says there is a kind of blue spiritual bird that picks out fallen leaves and branches from the water to keep it perpetually clear.

Three kilometers east of Tianchi lies a stretch of undulating golden sand dunes. It is said that a village called Nanzhuangzi is buried beneath them. From a distance, the dunes rise about 20 meters high, forming a sharp contrast with the green pastures.

On the hillsides near Yuanhai and Pipa Hai, circular tower-like stone piles are often seen, formed by layers of thin slate weathered from shale. Between Tianchi and Yuanhai, you can also find glacial potholes dating back 3 million years.

Yuanchi (also called Gonghai), a companion to the heavens and earth, covers an area of 0.36 square kilometers, with a depth of about 15 meters and a water storage capacity of 5.4 million cubic meters. It is recorded that the waters of Tianchi “do not overflow in rain or dry up in drought, remaining as clear as a mirror.” Legend says that whenever leaves or weeds fall onto the lake surface, spiritual birds come to remove them, keeping the water pristine. The scenic Tianchi is rich in carp. In the heat of summer, carp leap from the water, creating ripples and shimmering reflections, a scene known as “Tianchi’s Colorful Fish.” The lake’s magical beauty has attracted emperors, officials, poets, and artists throughout history. In the fourth year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (608), Emperor Yang Guang of Sui toured and hunted in the northern region and built the magnificent and resplendent Fenyang Palace by the lake. In the eleventh year of Daye (615), Emperor Yang Guang visited Tianchi with approximately 100,000 attendants, including officials, concubines, and palace maids, to escape the summer heat and engage in hunting, thoroughly enjoying the lake’s splendor. Xue Daoheng, the Inner Historiographer and Attendant, composed an impromptu poem titled “Ode to Tianchi Upon Imperial Command” during a banquet: “The sage reigns the world, his might shakes the frontier. Gazing afar for miles, banners stream far and near. Riding a turtle to the blue sea, controlling steeds to tread the jade pond. Mist rises from the winding bay, deep waves startle hidden dragons.” Unfortunately, this imperial palace was destroyed by Liu Wuzhou in the thirteenth year of Daye (617). This beautiful, rippling lake was also a favorite spot for literati through the ages. It is said that literati such as Ouyang Xiu and Fan Zhongyan visited here and praised the splendor of Tianchi. The Yuan Dynasty poet Yuan Haowen left behind this quatrain: “Rain washes the world clean, revealing Shanxi’s proud expanse. Without ascending to Chaoyun Peak’s northern top, one truly hasn’t visited these mountains.” Though the ancient structures of Tianchi have been lost to time, the lake’s beautiful scenery remains eternal. The local people cherish this sacred land and hold a traditional temple fair by the lake on the 15th day of the sixth lunar month every year. In recent years, various sectors of Ningwu County have raised funds to restore the Haiying Temple from the prosperous Tang Dynasty near the lake, added recreational facilities such as sightseeing boats, fishing, and landscape photography, planted new pine and cypress tree belts, built a highway leading directly to the lake, and launched tourism activities centered around Tianchi’s scenic wonders, radiating to other attractions in the Guancen Mountain scenic area such as Luya Mountain, Fenyuan Lingzhao, Little Hanging Temple, Ten Thousand Buddha Cave, Ten Thousand Year Ice Cellar, Zhigu Qi Stone, Ningwu Pass Tower, and the Ancient Great Wall. The popularity of visiting Tianchi continues to grow day by day.