Changbai Mountain Series

Gift from the Volcano

In the southeast of Jilin Province,the Changbai Mountain extends for more than 1,300km.

It is natural border between China and the DPRK.

A giant composite vol'cano,it has been dor'mant for over three centuries,and has created a pristine and beautiful natural environment with favorable ecological conditions.

After nearly 30 million years of geological movements / and eruptions,the top of Changbai Mountain / is covered with pale pumice (灰白色的浮石).

Add to that snow preserved by year-round coldness,and the spectacular peaks seem to be always snow-capped.

Hence the name Changbai,or perpetually white.

The rivers of Yalu,Songhua and Tumen begin from here / and go on to nourish the land.

From ancient times,the Changbai Mountain has been revered by the no'madic hunters.

It is also regarded as the birthplace of the Manchu people.

The Lava plateau (熔巖臺地) around the main peak / is home to over 100 small volcanos / which form a magnificent(壯觀) volcanic group.

The distinctive volcanic landform and intact forest ecosystems / are all gifts from the volcanos.

Standing in the Changbai Mountain,you can feel / the astonishing power hiding beneath the rocks.

The ac'cumulation of molten rocks and volcanic ashes / turned into pre'cipitous peaks.

The areas washed by lava and mud / are crisscrossed with valleys.

The heat sent up by magma in the Eath's crust / keeps hundreds of hot springs steaming.

The gi'gantic crater / is surrounded by 16 peaks that are over 2,000m above sea level.

Two billions cubic meters (立方米) of water / converges here and forms the world's highest crater lake / with mesmerizing beauty.

As a global protected area,the Changbai Moungtain has an intact and typical alpine forest ecosystem in eastern Eurasia (歐亞大陸).

More than 2,630 plant and 1,580 animal species live and thrive here.

The area is home to the world's largest / primary Korean pine forest / and diverse alpine tundra ecosystems.

It is a genuine "museum of nature" and "gene bank".

The International Union for Conservation (保護) of Nature / has 'designated it a category la (A級) protected area.

Among other regions at similar latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere,the Changbai Mountain has the best-preserved forest ecosystem.

It has 'prominent values in ecological study.

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Changbai Mountain Series

The Tianchi Lake

In the peak of summer,the balmy winds arrive in the Changbai Mountain.

After being covered in ice and snow for eight months,the world's hightest crater lake / gradually wakes from its deep slumber(沉睡).

As the snow melts,the Tian'chi Lake emerges as a piece of jade without blemishes (無暇碧玉).

The Tianchi Lake is perched on the volcanic cone on the main peak of the Changbai Mountain.

It was formed 12 million years ago.

After volcanic eruptions,rainwater,melted snow and groundwater con'verge to form this oval-shaped water body.

At 2,189m above sea level, the Tianchi Lake is surrounded by 16 peaks formed from lava.

Covering an area of 9.82 square kilometers,the lake has an average depth of 204m,with the deepest being 373m.

It contains 2 billion cubic meters of water / and straddles the borders of China and the DPRK.

The Tianchi Lake has no water inlet(進口).

Only between two peaks in the north / lies a gap.

Exiting water rushes through a 1,200m-long river / and continuously / pours down a 68-meter-high cliff,to form the Changbai Mountain Waterfall / before flowing / into the Songhua River.

Astonishingly(令人驚奇的),despite such an outflow throughout the year,the lake maintains a stable amount of water regardless of weather conditions.

Experts speculate that / the low temperatures in the area / keeps the evaporation to the minimum,while plentiful precipitation,underground water and melted snow continuously replenish the lake and allow the lake / to make up for its water loss.

The weather in summer in the Changbai Mountain / is very unpredictable(變幻莫測).

Above the Tianchi Lake,the clouds would gather in the blink of an eye,and dis'perse moments later,revealing a clear sky.

The short alpine poppy,Narrow rhodiola and other tundra plants blossom(開花) in the winds and rains / and weave a flowery tapestry,infusing the my'sterious Tianchi Lake with some vitality.

Since ancient times,many historical re'cords have chronicled unknown creatures lurking in the Tianchi Lake.

However,with an elevation of over 2,000 m,low water temperatures between 1-11℃ / and a yearly eight-month ice pe'riod,the inhospitable lake / contains hardly any organic matter or plankton.

No animal can possibly survive here.

The existence of these mysterious creatures / remains a puzzle.

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Changbai Mountain Series

Gift from the Volcano

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