Gyaring Lake 扎陵湖

About Gyaring Lake

Its Tibetan name is commonly translated as the long grey lake. The broad freshwater basin and high surrounding plain are important components of the river system, rather than a conventional resort setting. Comparing the two lakes helps explain the headwaters, but proximity on a map does not establish an open route between their shores.

In June 2025, Tong Tao, a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, reported in Guangming Daily the discovery, on the lake's north shore, of a thirty-seven-character stone inscription left by envoys sent by Qin Shi Huang. The inscription records that in the emperor's twenty-sixth year (公元前226年) he sent a Wudafu (五大夫) named Yi (翳), together with several occultists (方士), to gather medicinal herbs at Kunlun, reaching the site in the third month of that year. Following investigation, the National Cultural Heritage Administration and two research institutes identified it as a Qin-dynasty carving and named it the Gairitang Qin Stone Inscription (尕日塘秦刻石).

The lake's inflow is formed by the confluence of the Kari Qu (卡日曲) and the Yuegu Zonglie Qu (约古宗列曲), which enter from the southwest and drain out to the southeast; because the river carries heavy sediment, the water turns grey-white when wind raises waves, said to be the source of the name 'white long lake.'

Three small islands lie in the western part of the lake, not far from where the Yellow River enters it; large flocks of migratory birds gather there in summer, and the area is also known as Bird Island. The surrounding land is alpine meadow that serves as an important pasture area in Qinghai.

What to look for

• Zhaling and Eling form a linked headwater-lake landscape.
• The wide freshwater basin sits within a high plateau environment.
• The surrounding wetlands give the visit a strong conservation context.

Location & getting there

Getting to Gyaring Lake

Use Madoi as the enquiry and logistics base. Confirm an authorised nature-experience programme, its current route and your access arrangements before attempting a journey towards the lake.