ThebeautyoftheTianshanMountainliesnotonlyinitsspectacularsnow-cappedmountainsandglacier-cappedpeaks,beautifulforestsandmeadows,clearriversandlakesandredbedcanyons,butalsointhecombinationandcontrastbetweenthemountainelementsandthevastdeserts.Thestarkdifferenceofbarerocksonitssouthslopeandluxuriantforestandmeadowonthenorthcreatesastrikingvisualcontrastofenvironmentswhicharehotandcold,dryandwet,desolateandluxuriant鈥揳ndofexceptionalbeauty.
TianshanMountainisalsoanoutstandingexampleofongoingbiologicalandecologicalevolutionaryprocessinatemperatearidzone.Altitudinalvegetationdistributions,significantdifferencesbetweennorthandsouthslopes,anddiversityofflora,allillustratethebiologicalandecologicalevolutionofthePamir-TianshanHighlands.Tianshanhasoutstandingbiodiversityandisanimportanthabitatforrelicspecies,andnumerousrareandendangeredspecies,aswellasendemicspecies.ItprovidesanexcellentexampleofthegradualreplacementoftheoriginalwarmandwetflorabymodernxericMediterraneanflora.
Amongthemanywonderfulspotsdistributedinthemountain,Tianchi,literallymeaningHeavenlyLake,isoneofthemostpopulartouristdestinationsinChina.ItishalfwayupthenorthsideoftheBogdapeakandistiny.Thelakeitselfis3.5kmfromsouthtonorthand0.8-1.5kmfromeasttowest,buta380-square-kmscenicregionisformedwithitasthecenter.PreviouslyknownasYaochi(JadeLake),itfeaturesaclearandcalmlakeofwaterthatmirrorsthesnow-cappedpeaksandgreenerysurroundingit.Thisandmanyotherbeautifulspotsintheregionattracttouristsinthemillionseachyear.