羊卓雍措

Yamdrok Lake, which means “Jade Lake” in Tibetan and is also known as “Upper Coral Lake” because its shores wind like coral branches, is one of Tibet’s three sacred lakes. It is located in Langka County, Shannan Prefecture, With a surface elevation of 4,441 meters and an area of approximately 638 square kilometers, it is the largest inland lake on the northern foothills of the Himalayas. It resembles a sapphire set among the mountains; depending on the time of day, the sunlight casts the lake’s waters in shades ranging from Tiffany blue to deep emerald green. Tibetans affectionately praise it as “a heavenly paradise, Yamdrok on earth.” The legends surrounding it are beautiful and moving; it is regarded as “the turquoise earring dropped by a goddess.” Due to the lake’s winding shape, it is impossible to see its entirety from any single angle. It is both the incarnation of a dragon princess and the seat of an important female guardian deity in Tibetan Buddhism. and it is said that eminent monks can even find clues to the reincarnated spiritual children through images reflected on the lake’s surface. This place seamlessly blends lakes, snow-capped mountains, islands, pastures, and monasteries; the lake is abundant with highland naked carp, and the island at its center is a paradise for waterfowl. The distant Ningjin Kangsa Peak and cultural landmarks such as Sangding Monastery and Rituo Monastery further enhance its mystery and grandeur.