<h1>Author: Anne Barton (supports originals</h1>).
<h1>HI I'm Anne Barton Share travel anecdotes</h1>
Lijiang, Yunnan, not only has the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the ancient city of Lijiang, the beautiful Erhai Sea, and a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and inaccessible people - Cheng Hai. Compared with the former's well-known big attractions, Cheng Hai is quiet and comfortable, the scenery is exquisite, and it is as quiet and charming as a young girl in a boudoir to be married.
<h1>Where is Cheng Hai? </h1>
Cheng Hai is located between Lijiang Ancient City, Yulong Snow Mountain Scenic Area and Erhai Sea View Area, more than 100 kilometers away from each of the two scenic spots, and it takes more than 2 hours to drive to it.
Chenghai Lake is one of the nine plateau lakes in Yunnan and the second largest freshwater lake in western Yunnan. It belongs to the Jinsha River basin lake in Yongsheng County, Yunnan Province.
Although it stands shoulder to shoulder with Lijiang's famous scenic spots, it has not been overdeveloped and has always been a place where local villagers gather to live. The villages by the lake are simple and natural, the fields are fertile and lush, and the villagers have maintained the original farming, fishing and hunting customs, so there is a kind of comfort in the heart to travel here!
<h1>The origin of Cheng Hai</h1>
Cheng Hai, also known as Cheng He, is also called "Heiwu Lake" by locals, which is a fracture trench formed by the Cenozoic Himalayan orogeny Movement, and the water gathers into a lake in a low depression. So it's a sinking lake.
Ancient cheng river, from north to south, merged into the Jinsha River, is a tributary of the Jinsha River. During the Tang and Song dynasties, it was recorded:
According to wanli's "Yunnan Tongzhi" volume IV "Beishengzhou Monuments", "Cheng Hai Stone Stele: Legend of fishermen net fish, occasionally obtained stone stele, on the inscription 'Great Shengcheng River Miao sense Jing Emperor', Gai Mengshi imitation fief also, its stone drainage for decades, so far began to dry, still have run." ”
The "New Yunnan Tongzhi Jin Shi Kao" says: "According to the same as contained in the third volume of Liu Wenzheng's "Dian Zhi", the Mengshi imitation seal was changed to the Duan imitation seal. ”
In modern times, due to geology and climate change, the residents around the lake have become increasingly dense, and the lake has grown underwater, no longer leaking out, and has become an inland lake. At present, the lake mainly comes from the underground mountain springs around the basin and the collection of rainwater.
Why is Cheng Hai called Cheng Hai?
According to popular legend, it is because there was the earliest surname Chen Juzhi, taking a harmonic sound, so it was called Cheng Hai. And here there are indeed Cheng, Chen, Hai surnames concentrated, belongs to the Yi language branch.
<h1>How beautiful is Cheng Hai? </h1>
The beauty of Cheng Hai lies in its original purity, natural carving.
On the shore of Chenghai Lake, take a leisurely stroll, feel the gentle wind, and listen to the insects and frogs. The blue sky is as blue as a wash, guarding the white clouds, and Cheng Hai is clear into the mirror, collecting and reflecting all the beautiful scenery.
In the lake, gulls, wild ducks or frolic on the surface of the water, or dive in the clear water. Aside from the sounds of nature, there is little noise from the crowds. Time seems to stand still here.
Standing by the lake, I turned around and looked back, looking through the dense phoenix trees, olive groves, sugar cane fields, and quinoa fields by the lake, and landed among the dilapidated and old villages. The surrounding mountains are verdant and thick, and the mist between the mountains is flowing. Clear water, blue sky, clouds, farmland, and mountains and forests are intertwined into a beautiful natural pastoral picture that cannot be described in words.
Tired of walking, choose a wonderful homestay, sit by the lake, brew a pot of good tea, overlook the quiet blue lake, listen to the shallow chant of the swaying leaves behind you, occasionally a dog bark or two, followed by a natural and harmonious song. The beauty is into the eyes, and the heart is as calm as water.
Staying overnight by The Lake is a delight to relax. Cheng Hai's sunset is intense and intoxicating, and the afterglow of the sunset is sprinkled on the calm lake, like an orange-red canvas spread out. Yun xia flipped and flew on the canvas.
Villagers on the lake side hold up small boats to cast nets on the lake to catch fish, and water birds dot it. Gradually the canvas is getting darker and darker, but the starry sky is gradually rising, if the luck is better, just there is a bright moon reflected in the lake, it is a rare moon and night map. Cheng Hai's evening and the indescribable beauty of the night will make the whole soul wash like a bath.
The wind blows, the fragrance of the flowers envelops the fragrance of the grass, the chirping of the birds echoes the folk songs of the fishermen...
In the Qing Dynasty, Hu Dun once wrote a poem describing the beauty of Cheng Hai's night:
"Cheng Hai Fishing Lantern"
Falling into the peak of the peak, the fishing lights float all night.
The shore of the mackerel is bright, and the fireworks are chaotic.
Looking at the shadow suspicious of the first moon, the hammer began to recognize the boat.
Looking around with smoke, the flowers are everywhere in autumn.
How beautiful is Cheng Hai? Only by experiencing it for yourself can you understand that before this beautiful scenery, any language is pale and powerless, and no one who has come here has been spared the soul!
<h1>Why is Cheng Hai called "Blue Cornucopia"? </h1>
The river valley around Cheng Hai was irrigated by lake water as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the land was fertile and rich in agricultural products. Cotton and sugar cane are specialties here, and there are more than 20 villages of all sizes gathered around the lake.
Why is Cheng Hai a "blue cornucopia"?
This has to start with an ancient creature - spirulina.
Spirulina is an ancient creature that has lived on Earth for 3.5 billion years. Of the tens of thousands of large and small lakes in the world, only 3 can naturally grow spirulina, Lake Chad in Africa, Lake Tanks cocoa in Mexico, and Cheng Hai Lake in Yunnan, China.
God gave this one in ten thousand chance to Lijiang, Yunnan, no wonder people often say: Lijiang has three treasures, ancient city, snow mountain, spirulina.
Every year around the Qingming Festival, the water of Cheng Hai Lake changes from clear to blue-green, and emits a special fragrance, commonly known as "fragrant water surface", which is a special kind of natural spirulina, named "Shuihua".
Cheng Hai Lake is not only a "cornucopia" for producing spirulina, but also many fish, including carp, white mackerel, ding hook fish, red finfish, crucian carp, etc., and even introduced Taihu lake silver fish.
The lake is rich in aquatic products, and the "blue cornucopia" is well deserved!
<h1>What is there to do around Cheng Hai? </h1>
Cheng Hai is surrounded by mountains, and the green mountains on the east and west sides are facing each other, and the altitude is mostly only more than 2,000 meters. The mountains are verdant with trees, birds and flowers, and ancient temples are hidden in them. Standing at the top of the mountain, listening to the twilight drum and morning bell, watching the blue of the Sea like jade, the wonderland-like beauty.
At the foot of the mountain, there are various trees and various flowers.
In spring, there are bauhinia trees, flame flower trees, jacaranda and cockscomb thorn trees, competing for beauty; in summer, there are fiery red phoenix flowers blooming in the mountains; in autumn, there are Fuso flowers, bougainvillea, and wild chrysanthemums everywhere; and in winter, there are picturesque reeds. All year round, the trees are shaded and the fragrance of flowers is continuous.
Cheng Hai Beibu Lake Bay beach is soft and clean, stretching for miles, Wobo Namin, is a natural place for swimming and playing, the ancients once had a poem to describe:
On the south shore of the lake, small boats can be rented to explore the lake. In the boating lake, the water is bright, the smoke is vast, the terraces along the coast are scaled, the flowers and seas are layered with wheat waves, and the cottages are hidden in between, and the scenery is mesmerizing.
There is a road around the lake around Cheng Hai, and there are boats in the lake, so you can choose any way to enjoy the beauty of this side.
Special reminder: The liang'e yakou section on the east bank of the lake is the best place to watch the panoramic view of Cheng Hai Lake.
Regarding the beauty of Cheng Hai, there are ancient poems:
The silver sea contains mountain colors, and the fishing boats are surrounded by stones.
Late to the highest place, relatively crazy singing.
<h1>Culture and cuisine along the lake</h1>
The main people living on the shore of Chenghai Lake are the Yi people, and there are also descendants of the Mao clan in Shaoshan.
The Yi people have the "sword pole knot" of "going up the knife mountain and going down the sea of fire", which is thrilling and exciting, and people are breathtaking. It is said that it uses traditional qigong and has a unique national custom, which is worth seeing.
Mao's descendants mainly lived in Maojiawan, the ancestor of Mao Taihua. To this day, there are still more than 3,000 descendants of the Mao clan living on the shore of Chenghai Lake.
Cheng Hai has too many delicacies, and several major parts include: lake fresh, mountain fungi, fruits, wild vegetables and so on. Silver fish soup, fried river prawns, stewed fish, quinoa porridge, fried mountain mushrooms, mixed with spirulina... Too many delicacies to list! In a word, everyone who came to eat will still remember it!
<h1>Write at the end</h1>
Cheng Hai, although not as well-known as Cangshan Erhai, it is precisely because of this obscurity that Cheng Hai has a different kind of charm. Isn't this the perfect choice for people who want to escape the city and drive themselves to find the Pure Land?
Turquoise lakes, busy water birds, idle villages, lush crops... Cheng Hai is undoubtedly an unbeaten pure land!
Cheng Hai's trip will make people particularly unforgettable and special, not willing to give up the pure tranquility and charm.
Tips：
1, Cheng Hai temperature difference is large, prepare warm clothes.
2. ChengHai tourism supporting resources are relatively small, and the hotel must be booked in advance.
3. Cherish the environment and cherish this pure land!
#Wake up the good spring light ##我眼中的春天 #
I am Anne Barton, love life and love to travel. Traveled through more than 30 countries on five continents, quality tourism creators, travel experiencers. Continue to output original content and share what you've seen and anecdotes from your travels. The Silk Road Travelogue and the Great American Travelogue of Xinjiang are continuously updated, and the Travelogue of the Americas is in preparation. If you like Anne's article, please like and encourage, and you are also very welcome to follow me and exchange travel experience and life insights together!