Tianmu Lake

Tianmu Lake
天目湖 (Chinese)
Tianmu Lake
Location	Liyang, Jiangsu
Coordinates	31°17′22.6″N 119°25′11.9″E / 31.289611°N 119.419972°E / 31.289611; 119.419972
Type	lake

Tianmu Lake (Chinese: 天目湖; pinyin: Tiānmù Hú) is a lake which is 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Liyang City in Jiangsu Province,^[1][2] China. It was listed as a provincial tourist resort in 1993^[1][2] and is currently graded an AAAA nature reserve after being graded as such in 2001.^[3] The lake covers an area of 300 km² (120 sq mi), and its depth ranges from an average of 10 feet (3.0 m) to a maximum of 28 feet (8.5 m).^[3] The lake enjoys a legal conservation status, and since the municipal government took action in 1995 to overhaul the sewage disposal systems around the lake,^[4] the water quality has been in a good condition, achieving the second highest rating for water quality.^[2] As such, the lake is home to many freshwater fish such as cod.^[1]

In the surrounding area of the lake (known as the Tianmu Lake Scenic Area), wild animals such as mallard, pheasant and wild boar live.^[1] Some animals are also kept in captivity and fed by humans, such as a camel.^[2] The largest production of this area is tea. The production of tea each year here reaches 1,000 metric tons (980 long tons; 1,100 short tons).^{[2][clarification needed]} Around the lake, there are also two other China AAAA-level tourist resort called "South Hill Bamboo Sea" (also called NanShan Zhu Hai) and "Yushui Hot Spring".^[5]

South Hill Bamboo Sea (Chinese: 南山竹海) or in pinyin Nanshan Zhuhai),^[6] south of Tianmu Lake, is an area of 35 thousand acres of millions of bamboo plants, flowing streams and a sculpture. The Bamboo Culture Park provides information about the cultural meaning of bamboo. It also offers mountain climbing.