Snow Mountain Lake

　　   Snow Mountain Lake is situated in Liangjiang Town, Antu County—the first county at the foot of Changbai Mountain—and lies on the upper reaches of the Second Songhua River. Its source is the Heaven Lake of Changbai Mountain, and the abundant hydropower resources are the main driving force behind the formation of Snow Mountain Lake. The lake was created by the construction of the Liangjiang Hydropower Station and is an artificial reservoir.

　　   The martial arts novels written by Jin Yong are widely known and renowned throughout the world. One of them, "Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain," tells the story of the hero Hu Fei performing chivalrous deeds in Changbai Mountain. The Liangjiang Hydropower Station is just a stone’s throw away from Changbai Mountain and is the largest power station on the upper reaches of the Songhua River. Its picturesque landscape is breathtaking, especially in winter when the area is blanketed in silvery white, glittering, and snow-covered—thus earning the name Snow Mountain Lake.

　　   The dam of Snow Mountain Lake is 55 meters high. There are three entrances to explore the lake: one is by traveling upstream from the dam; the other two are by going downstream from the source at Shakouzi or Sandaobaihe.

　　   The most famous site on Snow Mountain Lake is the Yanglian Mountain Fortress. This ancient mountain fortress was both defensible and strategically advantageous, serving as a critical stronghold of the Bohai Kingdom (equivalent to the Tang Dynasty) for guarding the Songhua River. Long ago, overland routes were treacherous and difficult, making waterways the most convenient passages. People from the Changbai Mountain region would travel downstream along the Songhua River, transporting the region’s rare treasures as tributes to the Bohai capital and the Central Plains dynasties. This river became the most direct tribute route connecting Changbai Mountain to the Central Plains. The Yanglian Mountain Fortress is the first formidable pass at the source of the Songhua River. It earned the name “Yanglian” (which means “to look up”) because there is a drop of seventy to eighty meters between the fortress and the river, and next to it is a spectacular waterfall. Boaters on the river had to look upward to see the waterfall, hence it is called the “Yanglian Waterfall,” and the fortress is thus also known as the Yanglian Mountain Fortress.