Yuncheng Salt Lake Travelogue: A Fantastic Journey to the Colorful "Dead Sea"

1. First Impression: Entering the Magical World of the "China Dead Sea" As you step into the scenic area, you're greeted by an open salt beach. The lake water glistens in the sunlight, and the distant lake surface is like an overturned palette, with magenta, indigo, and lake blue interwoven. No wonder it's called the "Colorful Salt Lake." The strangely shaped salt crystals on the shore are scattered like broken diamonds. Stepping on them makes a "creaking" sound, like stepping on snow in winter. I dipped a bit of the lake water and tasted it. It was so salty and astringent that my tongue went numb. Only then did I believe its reputation as the "China Dead Sea" - the salt concentration is as high as 32%, which is no exaggeration. What I was most looking forward to was the floating experience! As soon as I put on a lifebuoy and went into the water, my body felt like it was being lifted by an invisible hand. I lay flat on the lake surface, closed my eyes, and felt the sun shining on my face. All I could hear was the sound of the breeze and the water lapping gently. When I opened my eyes, the distant salt beach looked like a white ribbon, setting off the lake water even more colorfully. I was in a daze, thinking I was floating in a lake on an alien planet. 2. Exploring the Salt Lake: The Legend and Rebirth of the Ancient Salt Pond The history of the Salt Lake is much richer than I imagined. The tour guide said that salt mining here began more than 4,000 years ago. The legend of the Yellow Emperor's battle with Chiyou and Emperor Shun's "Nanfeng Song" are all related to this salt pond. Standing on the city wall of the Pond God Temple and looking into the distance, the Zhongtiao Mountains are shrouded in clouds and mist after the rain, and the Salt Lake is like a huge emerald inlaid on the Loess Plateau. Suddenly, I understood the shock of Liu Zongyuan's words, "Looking back for a moment, hundreds of miles of snow" - in the eyes of the ancients, the salt pond was probably a "snowfield" that would never melt. Today's Salt Lake is no longer just a salt production area. The scenic area has built a bird-watching corridor. In winter, you can see flamingos walking gracefully, and red-bellied golden pheasants flying in surprise from the reeds. In summer, there are artificially planted salt-tolerant plants, which are stubbornly green and full of vitality. What moved me the most was the details of the ecological restoration: the once-smelly saline-alkali pools have become wetlands, and the mosquito-infested beaches have become migratory bird stations. Even the elder brother who herds sheep by the lake said: "Now the Salt Lake not only raises salt, but also raises birds and people!" 3. Salt Lake Fun: A One-Stop Experience from Healing to Culture Floating therapy: In addition to regular floating, the scenic area also has black mud baths and salt water SPA. When applying the black mud, the staff joked: "This is the same beauty secret recipe as Concubine Yang!" After washing it off, the skin is as smooth as a peeled egg, which is effective after personal testing! Bird watching and photography: It is recommended to go to the bird watching base in the early morning or evening. The pink feathers of the flamingos are like burning sunset clouds in the morning light, and the shutter can't stop at all. Salt culture experience: The Salt Museum displays ancient salt-making tools for "reclaiming fields and watering and drying", and you can also use a wooden shovel to simulate salt drying, as if you have traveled back to the Tang Dynasty and became a salt worker. 4. Practical Tips: Avoiding Pitfalls and Surprises Ticket discounts: Free tickets for those over 60 years old, and there are also benefits for medical staff, teachers, and other groups. Remember to bring your ID. Clothing suggestions: Don't wear light-colored shoes! The salt beach is easy to dye, and my little white shoes have been "killed." Hidden Easter egg: Go to Salt Lake Square in the evening, and the lights of the Pond God Temple are reflected on the lake, like a light and shadow magic show. You can take a blockbuster photo with your mobile phone. Postscript: The Gift of the Salt Lake On the way back, the driver hummed a Shanxi opera. I touched a small piece of salt crystal I picked up in my pocket and thought: This lake is really magical - the bitter brine can cure diseases, the barren salt beach can become a scenic spot, and even the dry legend can be "revived" in the new era. No wonder the locals say: "Yuncheng people live by the Salt Lake, and the Salt Lake also lives by Yuncheng people." Route reference: Take bus No. 21 from Yuncheng city to the Salt Lake scenic area, or take a taxi for about CNY 15. Recommended season: Summer and autumn to see the colorful lake water, winter and spring to watch migratory birds (flamingos are best from December to February).