Aiding Lake
( 2005-09-13 )

Aiding Lake is said to contain enough salt to supply the 1.3 billion people of China for a whole year. In addition, there are rich deposits of coal and oil under the lake. The Seven Fountains Lake Chemical Plant, the biggest enterprise in the Turpan area, has been set up by the lakeside; the enterprise uses the crystal salt, vitriol (sulfuric acid), and Glauber's salt as its raw materials and sells its products both at home and abroad.

People are easily misled by the false appearances of the mirages and the "dry" surface of the lake and often get bogged down. In the area, one cannot find fish in water or birds in the sky, but only a hare or a field mouse scurrying away.

Attracted by its peculiar geographical characteristics andwilderness, a continuous stream of visitors from all over China and abroad come to the lake to sightsee, take pictures, and explore.