Within Bayangol's territory, there are mainly mountains,plains and deserts. Tianshan Mountains, Altun Range and Kunlun Mountains stretch and wave their ways in all directions.Snow at these mountain peaks melts to form rivers and lakes.With shining clear and crystalline ripples in the Tarim River,Peacock River and Bosten Lake, green hopes and strong vigor are brought about to this sandy land. Picturesque Bayangol presents her beauty at the snowy Kunlun Mountains, lofty Tianshan Mountains, boundless Altun Range, heart-thrilling Taklamakan Desert, world famous Lop Nur and the Bayinbulak Grassland with plenty of grass and countless livestock.

Bayinbulak Grassland is translated into Mongolian as wealthy springs.Located northwest to Jinghe County and 636 km awayfrom Korla Prefecture, it stretches for 23,000 sq. km at thesouth foot of the Tianshan Mountains. In Bayinbulak Grassland,a place of vast area, wavy terrain and various plants, there are herds of livestock, green grass, surrounding mountains and running rivers. It's ranked as the second largest grassland in China. As early as 2,600 years ago, human beings had already lived here. In 1771 (36th year of Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty),led by Ubasi, some Mongolian tribes, including Turghut and Khoshut, rose in revolt to return to the Qing Dynasty, and then settled down in Bayinbulak Grassland and around the Kaidu Riven With vast area, flat terrain, lush quality "ghee grass", this grassland produces so called "four treasures in grassland":Yanqi Tianshan horse, Bayinbulak big-tail sheep, Chinese merino sheep and, "tank in plateau", yak. In midsummer, flowers are blossoming, herds of sheep are wandering like clouds, and yurts scatter in grassland like lotus flowers.

Bayinbulak Grassland, a place with plenty of water and lush

Every year around April, more than 10,000 rare birds from over 70 species including whooper swan, swan, mute swan and tern flock to Bayinbulak Grassland for food and multiplying.They gather together, now playing in lakes, then taking off from the water for the sky. Swans, lakes, mountain peaks and clouds constitute a magnificent picture in sunshine.

The famous Swan Lake is located in the Grassland, which is at the southwest of Bayan Village, 60 km away from the Bayinbulak Sub-prefectural Government of Hejing County.In fact, the lake is a large piece of wetland made up of small lakes connecting each other. It is the first natural protection zone for swans in China.

Why Bayinbulak Grassland attracts swans and so many other rare birds? It is because of unique environmental conditions bestowed by nature and protection effort by local people, who consider birds as their children. In addition to heavily scattered springs, crisscrossing rivers and flourishing water grass in surrounding area of the lake, cool weather, quiet environment and plenty of food make the lake a world famous water birds' paradise for swans, common crane, bar-headed goose, golden eagle, stern, long-legged buzzard, mallard, etc.Bayinbulak Grassland is sparsely populated. Local

The Swan Lake on the Bayinbulak Grasshmd

White swans on the Swan Lake

Flocks of swans are looking for food casually

Mongolian herdsmen regard the swan as an angel and the bird of happiness and have been taking care of it ever since ancient times. Some swans are fed and looked after carefully by herdsmen, they go out early and come back late as if they are domestic birds. Still they join the swarm to fly south in late autumn and come back to their masters' homes next spring.

This swan protection zone was established in 1980. it is of important researching value and excises certain influence world wide because it is one of the national bird ringing spots (central spot for ringing a bird with a ring-shaped device for scientific research), in 1986, the Swan Lake was approved as a national nature reserve.

The Bosten Lake had abundant resources of reeds,which are important materials for papermaking.

The shore of Fangma Lake

Arxian Hot Springs borders Zangdeng Wulu Mountains to the north, Aiken Daban to the east, Hucong Naoerzeng Daban to the south and Zhake Baierke Valley to the west, 2,604 m above sea level. The Gongsi Village Government is 28 km away,with shortcuts heading for the scenic spot. Arxian valley is 30km in length and 60 meters in width. At the middle of it locatesa group of 12 hot springs, 25 km away from the opening of the valley. Surface water goes down into crannies between crustal plates then overflows from underground after being heated at the earth's core.

Arxian means "sacred water" in Mongolian. Arxian Hot Springs enjoy a vast distribution, lots of mouths, high temperatures and sweet taste. It is famous in Xinjiang for its remarkable medical and curative effects due to various kinds of minerals and microelements contained in the water. Amounts of minerals, gases and radio-elements dissolved in the water during flowing vary according to the length of the course and the depths of the crannies. As defined by the National Standard for Categorizing Medical Mineral Springs, water from 12 Arxian hot springs has its salinity lower than 1mg/liter, thus can be sorted as fresh mineral water. Except that water temperatures at Ketun Caidu, Tuolage and Aolaigen springs are lower than 25C, those from all other 9 springs are between 43C -70C.In addition, different contents of radioelement radon can be found in these springs, so they have multi-functional medical effects including removing toxin, healing arthropathy, help improving muscles and bones, decreasing body temperature,etc. In particular, mineral water for Caisong Arxian Spring canbe drunk as mineral water, which helps you improve your health and awake from over-drinking. Arxian Hot Springs witnesses people coming for having a bath and medical treatment in an endless stream.

Bosten Lake was called "West Sea" in ancient times, "Fish Sea" during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). It got today's name Bosten Lake determined in the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911).Located within the territory of Bohu County southeast of the Yanqi Basin, Bosten Lake has an area of 1,228 sq. km.and is ranked as the biggest inland fresh water lake. Bosten means "standing" in Mongolian, as there are three ranges of mountains standing in the middle of the lake. Bosten Lake is 14 km and 24 km away from downtowns of Bohu County and Yanqi County respectively. Its surface is 1,048 m above sea level. With a length of 55 km from east to west, 25 km from south to north, Bosten Lake looks in a triangle shape.

Bosten Lake is not only wealthy in reed resources but also abundant in wildlife. Rare animals such as dzeren and wild deer can often be seen, rare fish including big-head schizothracin and Tarim Schizothorax were once found in the lake. The Book of Sui records that "the lake enjoys advantages in fish, salt, reed and water grass". In the east of Bosten Lake's central area, there are several hot springs, with their mouths measuring 10 to 30 m in diameter. In winter and summer, hot water comes out from underground to become origin of Peacock River.Southeast to the lake there lies the Ailexun Wula Desert with an area is 691 sq. km. A strong contrast between the extremely dry desert and the vast lake with wetland and reed thus reveals.

Bosten Lake is divided into two parts: big lake zone and small lake zone. They are 57 km and 21 km away from downtown Korla Prefecture respectively. The bigger lake has an area of 988 sq. km, with 10 small lakes in various sizes located in its southwest. The smaller lake measures 240 sq. km in area,it is deep in west and east, with the biggest depth reaches 16m and the smallest 0.8 to 2 m, averaging about 10m.

Whale Lake

Southeast to Ruoqiang County deep into the Kunlun Mountains, there lies an amazing big lake. It is 37 km long from east to west, 7.6 km from south to north, occupying an

The Bosten Lake

area of 260 sq. km. The surface of the water is 4,780 m above sea level, and the water is 2 to 10 m deep. This tranquil lake in mountains was discovered by satellite photographing and onsite geological survey. With blue water and snowy mountains setting off each other, the shape of the lake looks just like a lying fat whale, with its head points to the east. Therefore the name Whale Lake was given.

At one-seventh of the lake in the east, there is a bank naturally formed by grits. Measuring 7.5 km long, 200 m wide and 2 to 4 m higher than the water, it divides the lake into eastern and western parts. Waters from both sides interflow through a breach at the middle of the bank. In the eastern part, plenty of water comes from melting glaciers through Yulang River to form this fresh water lake with abundant plankton. In summer, countless brown-headed gulls and ruddy shelducks flock here for food and multiplying. While in the western part,due to lacking fresh water supply and large evaporation for a long time, salt content in the water is nearly saturated. It is a lifeless lake. This strong contrast in water quality is presented by a picture of "singing and dancing birds in the east but lifeless quietness in the west." That's why Whale Lake is also called as Lake of Un and Yang.

There are twelve lake benches existing at Whale Lake, showcasing a decreasing lake area. It is of a rare kind in the world among all inland mountain lakes. Like a blue pearl in plateau embedded at the south of the Altun Nature Reserve, Whale Lake adds luster to the nature.

Lop Nur, located at the northeast of Ruoqiang County, once was the second largest inland river in China. It is 780 m above sea level, with an area of 2,400 to 3,000 sq. km. Lop Nur is famous in the world because it is located at the fortress of the Silk Road in the east of Tarim Basin in ancient times. Born between the late tertiary period and early quaternary period, Lop Nur has a history of 2 million years. Its area was originally 20,000 sq. km. Affected by the nec-tectonic movement, its basin rose and slope to the north, then was divided into several depressions.

The sylvite mine in Lop Nur

The dried up Lop Nur

Today's Lop Nur is the biggest and lowest depression in the north, once served as Tarim Basin's collecting pool. In ancient times, rivers rose from Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun Mountains and Altun Range flew continuously into Lop Nur depressions to form lakes. Lop Nur was given several names,some because of its formation, such as Aoze (depression),Yanze (salt marsh) and Hehai (dried up sea), some due to its location, including Puchang Sea, Laolan Sea and Peacock Sea.

During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.), Lop Nur was recorded as "having a vast area of 300 sq. Ii., with water stops there and remain stable through out the year." Its abundance in water storage rose people's curiosity that it might be "flowing under ground to form a river of China." This opinion that mistook Lop Nur as Yellow River's origin had been spread, from Pri-Qin Dynasty (before 221 B.C.) to late Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911), for more than 2,000 years. Till 4th Century A.D., Loulan,west to Lop Nur and was said to be sure to suffer flood if Lop Nur was full of water and large waves, was in such an awkward predicament that rules and measures were implemented to limit water usage. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, when Lop Nur was flooding, its water surface was only over 80 Ii long from east to west, about 2 Ii wide from south to north, making a

small lake. Water flew into Lop Nur was mainly from Tarim River,Peacock River, Qarkan River, Milan River, etc. In addition, water supplied by melting glaciers from Qilian Mountains emptied into Lop Nur from southeast through Lehe River.

Jiu Qu Shi Ba Wall (nine bends and eighteen curves) in the upper reaches of the Kaidu River

In 1921, Tarim River changed its course to flow eastward and emptied into Lop Nur. Till 1950s, area of the lake again reached over 2,000 sq. km. However, in 1960s, water interception happened at lower reaches of Tarim River, resulting in a shrinking Lop Nur which dried up completely at the end of 1972. Historically, Lop Nur's area was peaked with 5,350 sq.km. In 1931 (20th year of the Republic of China), a team led by Chen Zongqi measured it as 1,900 sq. km; in 1941, as 3,006 sq.km on a topographic map with a scale of 1:500,000 produced by Soviet Union. In 1958, area of Lop Nur is determined as 2,570 on a Chinese provincial map; but in 1962, only 660 sq. km on an aerial photographic map with a scale of 1:200,000. In 1972, the last drying up area was merely 450 sq. km.

In modern times, some foreigners entered Lop Nur and called it a "wandering lake". In 1876, Przhevalsky, a military officer from Russian Empire made a one-sided wrong conclusion, after doing research in lower reaches of Tarim River, that Kala River and Shunhu Lake was the Lop Nur recorded by ancient Chinese. This thinking was supported by his student Kozlov and Stein from the UK. However, German geographer Richthofen Ferdinand yon was against it. Later, Swedish explorer Sven Anders Hedin raised a series of systematic theories on the wandering of Lop Nur, thinking that there was a cycle of 1,500 years for the lake to wander between north and south due to a rising lakebed caused by periodical sediment.These theories were once accepted by scholars worldwide.Besides, American Huntingdon put forward the theory of "lake of waxing and waning"; Chinese scholar Chen Zongqi announced his opinion of "alternating lake"; while a geographer from Soviet Union named Xinicun tried to explain by means of tectonic movement. Discussions on the wandering of Lop Nur lasted for a century.

In recent years, Chinese scientists carried out surveys and researches in Lop Nur and proved it as the lowest point and water collection zone for Tarim Basin, without water flew backward and with very few sands entered (sediment at lakebed only measured 1.5 cm thick through out 3,600 years). After Lop Nur had been dried up, very hard salt crust was formed, which prevents the lakebed from changing dramatically. As proved by age measuring and sporopollen analysis of lakebed sediments,Lop Nur had long been the center for water collecting in Tarim Basin. This gives the fact that the theory of wandering lake is unreasonable deduction. For more than two thousand years,lots of explorers home and broad came to Lop Nur for scientific research and worked out many famous monographs and news reports. However, misunderstandings and restrictions not only produce errors, but also cover Lop Nur with mysterious colors.

Forest Park of Diversifolious Poplar

Within the territory of Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, there running the Traim River, the longest inland river in China, along which there locates the only protection zone for primitive diversifolious poplar forests in the world. The world's 10% of diversifolious poplars exist in China, 90% of China's diversifolious poplars stand along Tarim River. Since its ancestor could be found as early as 135 million years ago, geographers call this tree as "living fossil from the tertiary period" as it is one of the oldest poplar tree in the world. Diversifolious poplar "can live for one thousand years, stand for one thousand years after

death, and will not rot for another one thousand years after failing down". This lofty impersonated characteristic win love and respect from people, attracting tourists with strong and good wills to appreciate, to stay with and take photos with the tree. In 1933, valued and supported by authorities concerned,the first forest park of diversifolious poplar in desert in China was approved to be established along Tarim River banks.

Diversifolious poplars strive to survive and grow in the desert

Luntai Diversifolious Poplars Forest Park

Altun Range

Altun Nature Reserve is located in Ruoqiang County's territory, at the middle section of Altun Range, where Xinjiang borders Tibet. 4,000 m above sea level, this protection zone is one of the largest alpine natural reservations in China with an area of 45,000 sq. km. There living in the zone many endangered rare alpine animals. Among them, there are big hoofed animals, including wild yak, Tibetan antelope and Equus kiang; also a good many of birds living together at various alpine lakes, in a number not less than that at Qinghai Lake.Natural sceneries are very beautiful in the reservation. There are deserts with the highest altitude in the world, the Aqike Lake, an

alpine inland non-frozen lake,Xinjiang Peak,regarded as "alpine Guilin",and Muzi Tage Peak with densely distributed glaciers.

Wild camels in the Altun Mountain Nature Reserve

The Sand Spring and the Sand River in the Altun Mountain

NatLirc Reserve

Tibetan wild donkeys in the Altun Mountain Nature Reserve

The giant Altun Mountain range