Barkol Lake

Barkol Lake

Barkol Lake is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Located 18 kilometers northwest of Barkol County, Barkol Lake is a highland lake at an elevation of 1,585 meters. Surrounded by undulating mountains and lush grasslands, the lake boasts crystal-clear blue waters. It presents a unique spectacle known as "a hazy mirage shrouding the mountain ridges."

The lake is fed by natural springs from the surrounding areas, stretching approximately 12 kilometers from east to west and about 20 kilometers from north to south, covering a water surface area of 112.15 square kilometers. It is also rich in mirabilite mines and salt pans, and the lake water contains halophilic crustaceans.

Known historically as Pulei Sea or Posi Sea, during the Yuan Dynasty it was called Barhuknuor, and in the Qing Dynasty, the Mongolian names "Shasha" and "Barhukur" were adapted into the name Barkol Lake.

The Qing Dynasty poet Shi Shanchang once praised the lake in a poem: “Vast shimmering waves stretch far and wide, ancient reeds and slender fish nowhere in sight; 300 li of bronze-like mirror, polished through endless millennia into a sheer silk ribbon,” capturing the unique wonder of “a hazy mirage veiling the mountain ridges.” Barkol Lake is also associated with the beautiful legends of the “Han Maiden Spring” and the “Pulei Sea.” In summer, the area is dotted with tents, and herds of cattle, sheep, camels, and horses roam the land, making the landscape by the lake even more enchanting. Kazakh herders often hold grand “Akyn Singing Festivals” on the grasslands by the lake.

Many beautiful legends are associated with Barkol Lake, the most popular being the tale of a Han Chinese maiden and a Kazakh youth named Pulei Hai, who fought together against a mountain demon that threatened to destroy the lake. The maiden was crushed under a pointed mountain and turned to stone, while the Kazakh youth wrestled the demon and sank into the lake with it. They sacrificed their lives to bring peace and happiness to future generations. To honor them, the springs beneath the pointed mountain are called the “Han Maiden Springs,” and the lake is named the “Pulei Sea.”

Hundreds of yurts gather around Barkol Lake, where herders rest while tending to their livestock and working the land.

Transportation: Buses from Hami Passenger Transport Station can take you there.

Hami, Xinjiang