Lhanag Tso -- the Ghost Lake

Brief Introduction of Lhanag Tso

Lhanag Tso is also well-known as the Ghost Lake, which means poisonous black river in Tibetan language. Lhanag Tso is located at the Burang County of Ngari Diqu and at an altitude of 4574 meters. Lhanag Tso, next to Mapam Yumco, is a lagon. The water in the lake is so salty that it can not be used to drink and the plants around the lake are few, and everything around the lake seems lifeless, which is how the name Ghost Lake came from. People say that Lhanag Tso and Mapam Yumco were of one lake at the very first. As the change of the climate, the lake level dropped, and the two lakes were separated. But a ganpa chu links the two lakes together, though it is dry, local people believe in that one day the water from Mapam Yumco would flow into the Ghost Lake and at the same time, a golden and red fish would flow into Lhanag, which may make the salty water as cool and sweat as that of Mapam Yumco. In some special years, when water is excess, indeed, there is water flowing in the ganpa chu.

Belief towards Lhanag Tso and Mapam Yumco

There are some other sayings towards the two lakes. It is said that there is a door of universe, linking the two lakes secretly. The quality of water of the two lakes is quite different. The water in the holy lake is sweet and cool, while that of the ghost lake tastes like hell. The controversy reminds people of the symbolism of the hug of yidam and Buddha mother. That is the harmony and unity of the universe or a sworn. The good and the bad are opposite to with each other, but here everything is Ok and peaceful. The ghost lake and the holy lake exist together, with no hatred or war, but the time and tide in which they accompany each other. Even with no wind, the water in the lake would in waves. Around the lake, there are some dark red mountains, the colour of which is odd and mysterious.

Features of Lhanag Tso

On the way from the Holy Mountain or holy lake to Burang, you would go through a stretch, which is beside the Ghost Lake and no farer than 1 kilometer away from it. As the amazing beauty of the lake, many travelers often choose to get near to the lake to take a clear look at it, only to find nothing around the lake. In the lake, there is a small island, with dark red color. When you stand by the lake, you may feel a little strange, because there is not even a life. It seems as if you are standing at the edge of the universe. The Lhanag Tso ophiolite is a part of the Xiugugabu, situated at the ophiolite section of Yalutsangpo River and South Asia. The ophiolite is controlled by the trust up and fracture of east and west direction. The southern part is the metamorphism terrain of Burang and the northern part is the Jiwugunbadiceng terrain. All the combination of the rocks of the ophiplite has been out of shape and the rocks are easy-broken.