Sacred lake in China: 800,000 tons of shrimp and fish but no one dares to catch it

For what reason do Tibetan people not take advantage of inherent resources even though they are not prohibited by the government or law?

Located on the highest plateau in the world with an average altitude of more than 4,200m above sea level, Tibet is known as a land of Buddhist culture with mysterious features and extremely unique natural scenery. .

If one mentions 'the last pure land on Earth' , people subconsciously think of the sacred Mount Everest, but in reality this is also home to many large lakes, estimated to be about 1,500 lakes.

In addition to its diverse terrain stretching from high mountains to valleys, across glaciers and deserts, Tibet also makes visitors surprised by its dense network of rivers and lakes. Referring to the famous lake and sea landscapes here, it is impossible to ignore the fairyland beauty of the sacred lake Yamdrok (Ocean Lake) .

Scenery of Yamdrok Lake. (Illustration photo: Wordtravel).

Yamdrok has an area of ​​675km2 ^. Overall, this is not considered a large lake in Tibet.

However, because it is located in a prime location at an altitude of more than 4,440m, next to the wild and poetic mountain scenery, this place is considered one of the places with the highest tourist value. in this land.

Not only that, the name Yamdrok itself partly shows the respect and reverence of the indigenous people for the natural landscape.

"Yamdrok" in Tibetan means "Swan Lake" . In the hearts of Tibetans, this lake is an extremely sacred and noble place. They believe that its poetic beauty is the reincarnation of fairies coming to earth to bring vitality to Tibet.

Huge fish warehouse

In addition to its pristine beauty like a painting, Yamdrok is also known as "Tibet's giant fish warehouse". According to preliminary statistics, the weight of the fish population in the sacred lake may exceed 800,000 tons.

In fact, under the conditions of lack of oxygen and harsh weather in the highland area, the growth cycle of fish in lake water is much slower than in places with low altitudes. Therefore, the school of fish weighing nearly 800,000 tons that we see today is the result of natural growth over tens of hundreds of years in this lake.

Huge fish populations live in Yamdrok Lake. (Illustration photo: post-gazette.com).

Normally, with such a clean environment, natural seafood would be popular with many people, but strangely these fish don't seem to be caught at all.

For what reason do local people not take advantage of inherent resources even though they are not prohibited by the government or law?

Sacred mascot

First, the fact that Tibetans do not fish stems from their traditional eating habits along with some long-standing religious factors . The cuisine here is extremely rich, the ingredients are very clean, the people here eat a lot of meat, however there are some animals that they never touch, among them are fish.

Just as Yamdrok is considered the reincarnation of fairies, fish in lakes in Tibet are considered incarnations of water gods , so they never fish for any purpose. any.

Fish are considered the embodiment of the water god in Tibet. (Illustration photo: Sohu).

In addition, from the point of view of some other religious factors, people here believe that if they have to kill other creatures to maintain their own lives, the less killing they do, the better.

Therefore, if given a choice between a cow and a fish, they will choose to kill the cow because killing a cow will help a family survive an entire winter, but killing a fish is not enough. meal.

The custom of "water burial"

In addition to eating habits, traditional burial practices are also one of the important reasons why Tibetans never disrupt the underwater ecosystem in their homeland.

People here believe that water is the most important thing in the world that gives birth and nurtures life, so when people die, if they can return to mingle with mother nature in the green water, it will be their destination. most peaceful.

Therefore, to this day, "water burial" is still one of the burial practices widely used by Tibetans. Normally, the corpse will be wrapped in a white cloth and then floated down the river to feed the fish. Also from here, local people believe that the souls of their ancestors entered the fish to continue life.

Water burial is one of the oldest practices in Tibet. (Illustration photo: Diamon tour).

Although Yamdrok is not a place where water burials regularly take place, the concept of a sacred relationship between water and fish and gods and the dead has long been a root in the minds of the people there. here, so the huge amount of fish in the lake seems to have been preserved intact for hundreds of years.

From a scientific perspective, Yamdrok Lake is alkaline, the water temperature is low all year round, fish in the cold water lake grow slowly, and phytoplankton in the water also has difficulty photosynthesizing and lacks nutrients. The ability of the fish here to absorb nutrients has evolved, they will absorb everything in the lake, causing them to accumulate a lot of toxins , which are likened to 'pesticides' . Therefore, people are encouraged not to consume fish species here.

100km from the capital Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake in Tibet is generating local economy thanks to its hydroelectric and tourism potential. Tibet tourism develops thanks to the mysterious and sacred colors typical of the high mountains. Ancient cultural customs and sacred taboos have created the unique style of this magical land.

However, tourists coming to Tibet need to pay attention to many things. Respect local culture and beliefs. Do not violate taboos about animals, numbers, colors.

Taboos in Tibet create ancient and mysterious cultural significance, reflecting the people's awe of gods, beliefs and traditions. In your journey of discovery, learning and respecting these customs will not only improve your experience of communication between people, but will also allow you to experience the unique charm of Tibetan culture at a deep level. sharper.