Five-Color Lake

Five-Color Lake

Five-Color Lake

The sacred East Sea is made up of two interconnected lakes, one above the other, lying peacefully in the embrace of Mount Baigeta at an altitude of 4,100 meters. It is one of the largest alpine lakes in Menyuan. The tranquil and picturesque Five-Color Lake, which encompasses snow-capped mountains, lakes, primeval forests, rare birds and beasts, and marvelously shaped caves, is formed by the miraculous convergence of 108 springs into one large and one small sister lake at the summit of Mount Geta. To the east and west of the lakes are two white peaks — one resembling a big-bellied, ever-smiling Maitreya Buddha, the other like a kind-faced Bodhisattva — standing guard over the sister lakes. The lake colors shift dynamically between five hues depending on the surrounding mountains and weather conditions. Legend has it that the crescent-shaped upper lake is the incarnation of the victorious Heavenly King, while the oval-shaped lower lake is the manifestation of the auspicious Heavenly Goddess. These revered deities bless and protect the Huare Tibetan region with their divine benevolence.

The eminent Tibetan lama Dongke Duojugacuo left behind this benedictory verse for pilgrims who come to this sacred land: "Whoever remembers it in their heart shall be granted both supreme and common blessings. We should worship this peerless jade-like lake, one of twenty-four sacred spots, with our body, speech, and mind in sincere reverence."

Later, Tibetan devotees coming to worship at the East Sea would recite this benediction silently while praying piously for peace, harmony, good fortune, and happiness.

There is also another popular version of the story circulating among the people. Back when King Gesar was battling King Hor to rescue his beloved queen, Zhuoma, he returned victorious with a vast amount of war booty. Moreover, since Zhuoma had already been exposed to the atmosphere of the Hor Kingdom during her time there, it was not yet suitable for her to return home. As a result, King Gesar buried the treasures in the Three Gorge Gates and settled Zhuoma there. Before departing, he stationed heavy troops at each of the three gates. The first gate was fortified with crossbows and guarded by fierce tigers, the second by a coiled azure dragon, and the third by rakshasas and dakinis. Inside was the East Sea, where Zhuoma would cleanse herself of foreign odors every day and spend her leisure time playing chess or walking dogs with the rakshasas and dakinis. Later, when King Gesar came to take her back, Zhuoma threw into the East Sea a red sash, a blue handkerchief, a sapphire, a jade hairpin, and a golden bracelet as offerings before parting. From then on, the East Sea took on five different colors and came to be known as the Sacred Five-Color Lake.

The Sacred Five-Color Lake lies peacefully in the arms of the ever-smiling Maitreya Buddha and the kind-faced Bodhisattva, like two sleeping beauties — perhaps lost in thought with eyes half-closed, or perhaps dreaming a thousand-year-long dream. The beautiful legends, together with the sacred East Sea, form a spectacle that forever captivates the imagination.

The East Sea is not like the ocean, nor does it have the grandeur of Qinghai Lake, and of course, it has inspired few literary verses from scholars and poets. Yet, in the hearts of the Huare Tibetans, this “twenty-four-part jade-like lake” is a sacred spiritual land that brings good fortune — inviolable and beyond desecration.