Heavenly
Lake Namtso
 Namtso,
another holy lake in Tibet, is located near
Damxung. 4718 meters (15475 feet) above
sea level and covering 1900 square kilometers
(735 square miles), the lake is the highest
saltwater lake in the world and the second
largest saltwater lake in China. The snow
capped Mt. Nyainqentanglha, considered as
the son of Namtso and leader of sacred mountains,
soars up to sky beside her. Singing streams
converge into the clean sapphire blue lake,
which looks like a huge mirror framed and
dotted with flowers.
Meaning Heavenly Lake in Tibetan,
Namtso is respected as one of the four holiest
lakes and the seat of Paramasukha Chakrasamvara
by Buddhist pilgrims. Buddhists believe
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Vajras will assemble
to hold religious meeting at Namtso in the
year of sheep on Tibetan calendar. Circumambulation
around the lake at the right moment equals
100 thousand times of that in normal years.
Hence thousands of pilgrims from every corner
of Tibet and others places such as Qinghai,
Sichuan and Yunnan, cluster to Namtso after
long and hard treks. On the four sides of
the lake stand four monasteries, which have
Buddhist meanings.
 Five
islets, planting themselves in the vast
sapphire blue lake, is said to be the incarnation
of the Buddha of Five Directions. Every
pilgrims circumambulating the lake will
piously worship them. Those islets are famous
for their topography, covered by weird but
vivid stones. Producing abundant fish and
lodging many birds and beasts, the lake
is also a heaven for animals and plants.
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