Heaven Lake, Volcanic crater lake at Mount Paektu, China and North Korea
Heaven Lake is a volcanic crater lake straddling the China-North Korea border at roughly 2,190 meters elevation. The body of water covers nearly 10 square kilometers and forms a deep basin surrounded by steep walls of rock.
The lake formed from a powerful volcanic eruption of Mount Paektu in 946. This eruption created the deep crater that now holds the lake's waters.
The lake is called Tianchi in Chinese and Cheonji in Korean, and in Manchu it is known as tamun. North Korean state accounts claim Kim Jong Il was born near the lake, and reported that on his death the ice cracked so loudly it seemed to shake heaven and earth. In September 2018 Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in visited together during an inter-Korean summit, and Moon filled a bottle with lake water to carry to South Korea.
The lake freezes from October through June and is viewable in its liquid state for only about 100 days yearly. Plan a visit during summer or early fall to see the actual water.
Water depths in the lake exceed 380 meters, making it one of the deepest crater lakes in the region. The China-North Korea border runs through the center, creating a natural dividing line between two nations.
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