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Cibi Lake belongs to one natural freshwater lake formed by faulting and dissolution depressions among plateaus, and is one of the major lakes at the upstream of Erhai Lake. The area of water is only part of a single enormous lake system, which is called Cibi Lake, which measures 8.46 square kilometers. The lake has 17 kilometers of shoreline.
The esteemed name of Cibi Lake got its name because of the fact that within the lake was thickly planted with Cibi flower, which is said to blossom during July and August of the lunar calendar. Cibi Lake is also called the Ning Lake. It water surface area is 18 square kilometers, with mean depth of water of 11 meters, about 32 meters at its deepest part. Cibi flower is a specialty of Cibi Lake. Cibi flower blossom during the period of the day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m and draw in at the time from 1-3p.m.
About the origin of the Cibi Lake, there is this mythical story. Story has it that Emperor Jianwen in Ming dynasty once took a boat on the lake yet the water turn muddy in color. The scenery struck a faint and unpleasant chord in his mind. It was at this time that all of a sudden he heard the fishing song delightful to the ear from the girl of Bai nationality on the fishing boats. Emperor Jianwen felt that her voice was as clear and lovely as a silver bell.
Looked at from a distance, the chain of mountains ripples the gentle curve like sea; one autumn stream gently raises the waves in the wind. The melody of a lark and the stunning scenery at the moment afforded him great pleasure. He decided to take off the translucent jade pendant from his fan handle in his hands and throw them to that girl of Bai nationality and was kindly yearning for another song.
But unfortunately those pendants dropped into water for insufficient strength. Finally all they could see in a single instant that the still water of the lake bubbled furiously, the muddy water of Cibi Lake, transformed to jade green, the color is as beautiful as a flawless gem.
In the lake are the masses of naturally-formed range upon range of huge rocks, resembling the steps and the stairs. It perfectly shows in elaborate detail all the splendor of that spectacular sight when the river flows through. From time to time the water would turn suddenly from muddy color to green, as of one thin jade belt that all of a sudden appear on the river in the far distance.