Heaven Lake is oval-shaped, covering an area of 9.165 square kilometers, with a circumference of 14.4 kilometers, an average depth of 204 meters, and a maximum depth of 373 meters, making it the deepest lake in China.Due to its high altitude and latitude, the lake water remains cold year-round, generally maintaining temperatures between 8 – 10 degrees Celsius in summer, while the ice period lasts from November until mid-June of the following year.In winter, the frozen surface of Heaven Lake forms ice up to about 1 meter thick. The surrounding cliffs are steep, with towering peaks— the massive Baekdu Mountain volcano acts as a barrier to the oceanic airflow from the Pacific and the continental airflow from Siberia, forcing the two air masses to rise and converge near the volcanic crater, resulting in much higher precipitation and relative humidity on Baekdu Mountain than at lower altitudes. Additionally, although Heaven Lake receives abundant rainfall and has pure water quality, there are very few fish. This is mainly because the summer season on Heaven Lake is cool and short, while the winters are extremely harsh with long periods of ice cover, leading to very low oxygen levels in the water. Moreover, the surrounding rocks are exposed, vegetation is sparse, and the conditions are not suitable for fish to survive.

The stunning Jioming Lake—An astonishing angel’s tear