Bigger and Smaller Dragon Lakes

The Bigger Dragon Lake in the depths of the Tianshan Mountains is situated in the north of the city of Kuqa, halfway up the surrounding peaks. The legend goes that once upon a time there lived at the bottom of the lake a male dragon. Chagrined by his lonesome life in the depths of the water, he stole out of his abode at night under water and made love with a mare. Their love then crystallized into a baby dragon. That is why the name of the lake is associated with this imaginary animal. Having its sources of water in the snows in the mountains, the lake is an extensive reach of crystal water,with a visible bottom.
Encircled by mountains wooded with dense-troughed pines, the countryside here abounds in water and vegetation. The boundless grassland of the place are dotted with flocks of sheep, cattle and other animals. If the tourist continues his way southward, then, just climbing over ahillock, he will see another lake, like an emerald, called Smller Dragon Lake. Situated alongside of each other, they form a contrastive twin that set off their respective charm and beauty.
As it used to be the key part of the Silk Road, the famous monk Xuanzang had traveled here in the 7th century during Tang Dynasty, he described the beautiful Bigger Dragon Lake in his book Records of the Western Regions of the Great Tang.