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Crescent Lake

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  • Dunhuang Crescent Lake
    Dunhuang Crescent Lake

Named 'Sand Well' or 'Medicinal Spring' in the ancient times, Crescent Lake is surrounded by the Echoing-Sand Mountains. Thanks to the Dang River, it is always clear and green like an emerald inserted in the golden sand. Therefore, it is known as the 'No.1 Lake in the Desert'.

The lake is about 100 meters (about 109 yards) long from north to south and 25 meters (about 27 yards) wide from east to west. The water in it is deeper in the east than that of the west, with the deepest depth of 5 meters (16 feet). Thus, it is bending like a crescent moon, hence the name.

How does the lake survive in the special environment? There are several claims, among which the most popular is that: the basin, among the sand dunes is also crescent-shaped along with the lake. When the wind blows into the basin, it will spin upward because of the aerodynamics. Therefore, the sand flowing down from the surrounding dunes would be sent back to the other sides of the dunes.

Crescent Lake is not only famous for its unique landscape but also for its products. There are a lot of fish in the lake, particularly a kind of fish named 'Tiebei fish' (Iron-back Fish) which is said can be used for curing all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases. In addition, some herbs growing around the lake also have the effect on treating diseases like high blood pressure, vascular sclerosis, colds, cough etc.

On its southern bank, there is a simple and elegant architectural complex, distributed finely . There are more than 100 rooms ranging from the east to the west, including the Hall of Goddess, the Palace of Dragon King, the Hall of Bodhisattva, etc. Inside the main halls, there are hundreds of painted sculptures and murals. Moreover, most of the halls were built with horizontal boards and inscribed tablets, on which are carved with elegant Chinese characters meaning 'No.1 Lake', 'A Different World', etc.

 Entrance Fee (include the entrance fee of Echoing-Sand Mountain): 
CNY 120 (Jul.1 - Oct. 31)
CNY 80 (Apr. 1 - Jun. 30)
CNY 60 (Nov. 1 - Mar. 31) 

 Best Time to Visit: May to Oct.

 Transportation: 
A. Take the mini buses in Dunhuang City and get off at Mingshashan or Yueyaquan;
B. Take a taxi from the city (about CNY 15)

 More Tourist Attractions in Dunhuang:
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