QUICK FACTS
Name: Tianchi Lake, or Heaven Lake
Location: China-North Korea border
Coordinates: 42.0091, 128.0593
Why it’s incredible: It is the deepest lake in China and sits at the top of a giant volcano.
Heaven Lake is a crater lake located atop Mount Changbaishan (also known as Changbai Mountain), a massive dormant stratovolcano that straddles the China-North Korea border. Formed over 2.6 million years through successive volcanic eruptions, the lake occupies a vast caldera at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 meters).
Known in China as Tianchi, the lake holds the distinction of being the deepest, highest, and largest crater lake in Northeast Asia. Spanning approximately 3.6 square miles (9.2 square kilometers) with a maximum depth of 1,224 feet (373 meters), its pristine waters are sustained by precipitation, snowmelt, and geothermal activity that forces water through geological fissures.
Surrounded by 16 peaks of Mount Changbaishan, the lake fills a caldera formed during major eruptions, including the dramatic A.D. 946 “millennium eruption,” one of the largest volcanic events in recorded history.
Water began accumulating at the summit following the Tianwenfeng eruption between 70,000 and 40,000 years ago. Since then, the lake has undergone cycles of emptying and refilling, driven by natural processes and the volcano’s active geothermal system. Despite 2000s folklore claims of a large horse-like creature inhabiting its depths, scientists remain unconvinced any sizable organism could survive such extreme conditions.
Mount Changbaishan stands as one of the most well-preserved stratovolcanoes of its age, offering geologists a rare window into volcanic evolution. UNESCO recognizes it as an “open-air classroom for volcanism” due to its detailed record of multiple eruptive phases. In China, it is termed “Changbai Mountain” (perpetually white), while North Korea calls it “Mount Paektu” (white-crowned peak).
The volcano’s strategic importance has sparked territorial disputes between China, North Korea, and South Korea. Two 1960s treaties divided the mountain and lake, with North Korea claiming 54.5% of the waterbody. China has since invested in regional infrastructure, including Mount Changbai Airport and the East Railroad, to enhance connectivity. In 2024, the Chinese side of the volcano was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, highlighting its geological and cultural significance.
Source link
