Image source: Binzhou Cultural Center
Shilang Lake Ecotourism Scenic Area is located in Binzhou City, Shaanxi Province. Located in Weibei Plateau District, northwest of Xianyang City, it is a national 4A-level tourist scenic spot. 120 kilometers south of Xianyang, 150 kilometers of Xi'an, and 160 kilometers north of Pingliang, Gansu, Shilang Lake is located in Niubei Village, Didian Township, 33 kilometers south of Binzhou City, and is a naturally formed dammed lake. Shilang Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Shaanxi and is known as the "Pearl of the Plateau".
Binzhou City Shilang Lake is surrounded by rich historical and cultural resources and many natural scenery, about 40 kilometers away from the third batch of national key cultural relics protection unit Dafo Temple of the world cultural heritage, about 45 kilometers away from Taijiwan Natural Scenic Area, Shilang Lake has now formed a set of shopping, dining, leisure as a whole, has become a two-day tour boutique route in Binzhou City (Binzhou Yi - China Berry Valley Picking Garden - Ski Resort - Shilang Lake - Baitu Community - Shuiliandong Huaguo Mountain - Dafo Temple) important nodes. Binzhou Shilang Lake is about 110 kilometers away from Xi'an Xianyang Airport and about 130 kilometers away from Xi'an North Railway Station.
In September 2018, Shilang Lake Scenic Area was approved as a national 4A tourist scenic spot.
There are three incredible wonders about Shilang Lake: first, Shilang Lake "does not rise in waterlogging and does not fall in drought", whether it is abundant rain or drought and little rain will not affect the water level of our Shilang Lake; The second is "no leaves in summer and autumn", Shilang Lake is surrounded by mountains and dense leaves, but the lake surface is clean all year round, no fallen leaves, like jasper embedded in the valley, beautiful and mysterious; Third, there is sometimes a mysterious water line on the surface of Shilang Lake, which can accurately predict weather conditions, and can also predict the amount of rainfall according to the length and width of the water line. Not only these, but also many unsolved mysteries such as the mystery of water sources, the mystery of exits, the mystery of ancient trees, and the mystery of God and Lord. Myth or magic, but the most real thing is its beautiful lake and mountains.
It was formed in the Ming Dynasty, with an average altitude of 1,440 meters, a water surface area of 370 acres, a water depth of about 13 meters, a deepest point of 18 meters, and a total storage capacity of 3.85 million cubic meters. It is the largest plateau freshwater lake in Shaanxi. The Shilang Lake Ecotourism Scenic Area is surrounded by mountains and embedded in the Ximiaotou Forest Farm in Binzhou City.
Huanhu Road is 2.8 kilometers long, the street lights on both sides of Huanhu Road are solar lights, using new LED technology for the whole process of lighting, one-time lighting can be maintained for 7 to 8 days, very energy-saving and environmentally friendly. There are also 18 fishing platforms on Lake Shiro, and a large number of fish fry are released in the lake for tourists to enjoy fishing. Among them, the second fishing platform of Shilang Lake, where you can enjoy the most beautiful scenery of Shilang Lake. The scenic area is surrounded by mountains, lush forests, sparkling lakes, sky light and clouds, fresh air and beautiful environment. The water level of Shilang Lake does not rise, drought does not fall, the lake does not freeze in winter and spring, and there is no leaf fall in summer and autumn, which is a good place for fishing, escaping the summer, leisure and entertainment. Along the direct access to the scenic area, there are attractions such as the Mausoleum of Feng Hui of the Five Dynasties Later Zhou Zhongshuling, the famous general Fan Lihua of the Tang Dynasty, and Camel Alley, an ancient road of the Silk Road. This scenic spot has become one of the top ten tourist attractions in Bin County.
Shilang Lake is not only a beautiful scenery, but also an ecological paradise integrating food and accommodation, with five functional areas such as tourist service area, forest leisure area, cultural and entertainment area, fishing and sightseeing area, and comprehensive service area, welcome everyone to relax in Shilang Lake. The hospitable people of Koo Bin always welcome everyone.
There is a saying in Binzhou City, "There is a West Temple Head in Binxian County, half of which is poked into the sky", which means that the West Temple Head is a very high place. Shilang Lake is located on the southeast edge of the West Miaotou Forest Area that has been poked into the sky. Ximiaotou Forest Area is one of the key shelter forest areas of the 13th line of Qianshan in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The total area of forest area is 100,000 mu, 73,000 mu in Binxian County, and the forest coverage rate is high of more than 95%, which is our "natural oxygen bar" and "green lung" in Binxian County. There are mainly natural secondary forests and neat plantations in the forest area, with a wide variety of trees, and it is also a living paradise for other animals. If you're lucky, you might even see one or two wild deer rushing past the car window. In spring, birds singing and butterflies dancing in the forest area; In summer, the forest area is lush and shaded; In autumn, the wind blows through the forest and the yellow leaves pave the ground; In winter, the mountains are pale, like a good ink-splashed landscape painting, quiet and far-reaching, and the heart is pleasant.
According to the county records, Shilang Lake was formed in the Guanzhong earthquake in the thirty-fourth year of Ming Jiajing, according to the "China Earthquake Catalog": "Qin and Jin intersected, the earth suddenly trembled, the five mountains faltered, and the Linggu changed." "This Guanzhong earthquake almost changed the scenery of mountains and rivers, changed the Linggu Valley, and turned the sea into mulberry fields. Binzhou City was also in the epicenter of the earthquake, and it is very likely that Lake Shilang was formed by a landslide in this earthquake.
Historical legends
Legend has it that a long time ago, the god Lang was a heavenly court official who was in charge of ponds and lakes. He was ambitious, to nourish the thirsty land with sweet water, to make the fields green and verdant, and the grains abundant, so that the people of the world would have plenty of food. However, because the Heavenly Emperor had heard the rumors of the villain and misunderstood the god of the attendant, he was very angry with him for giving the people such a gift, and every time he provoked trouble, he harmed him, so that he had to abandon his official position and live in seclusion, and came to Mijiagou, where the mountains were facing each other. He lost his official, but he still carried a pool of water with him and continued to provide relief to the local people. The mountain god, fearing that the god of the attendant would win the admiration of the people and lose his dignity, found a way to drive away the god of the attendant, and sent the people to break the embankment and release the water. The waiter was not at peace, and migrated again with a melancholy mood. At night, in his dream, he borrowed oxen vehicles from the villagers to carry the lake water, and when the people woke up, they heard the news and cried. The mountain god feared that the god of the attendant would change his mind because of this, and he vainly tried to use thunder to drive away the cattle, and in an instant the sky was dark, the thunder was rolling, the landslide was cracking, and the air wave was empty. But seeing the steep peak in front of the mountain, it immediately collapsed, and a majestic dam was erected like lightning, blocking the path of the water wheel. Suddenly, this clear lake appeared in front of me. It turned out that the compassion and fraternity of the Waiter God finally moved the Heavenly Emperor, who realized his previous mistake and felt the true feelings of the villagers, so he cast a spell to keep the Waiter God, and gave his official residence to the bottom of the Waiter Lake, so that the clear water of this lake continued to nourish the people here. In order to commemorate the god Shilang, the people built the Shilang Temple in the lakeside village, replacing the original mountain temple, offering sacrifices all year round, and also naming this lake after him to express everyone's gratitude to him.
Binzhou Shilang Lake is named after Yan Ben, a Hubu Shilang during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, who was a native of Niubei Village on the lakeside. In fact, the existence of Shilang Lake predates Yan Ben. Since ancient times, there have been legends of Xiaolongnu herding sheep by the lake, Liu Yi passing on the book to save the dragon girl, and Wu Zixu angrily slashing the dragon king of the Jing River to save the people. Wu Zixu: A native of the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period, he was named the god of Silang Water after his death, and Shilang Lake was a pool of clear water given to him by the Jade Emperor, so it was also known as "Silang Lake". Later, he gave the lake to the suffering little dragon girl to make a dressing mirror. Regardless of whether these stories are true or not, the magical unsolved mystery of Shilang Lake has always attracted many explorers.
Editor: Gong Liu Yashi