| Yamzhog Yumco, located 150 km south of
Lhasa at an elevation of 4,400 meters, is where the Himalayan
and Kangdese Ranges meet. When viewed from the top of
5,300-meter Mt. Kangdese, the lake takes the shape of
a fan. High peaks in the surrounding area reflect in the
rippling water over which birds fly.
In the 630-square-km lake are a dozen islets, with
the largest covering some 8 square km. Legend has it
that the lake is the incarnation of a fairy maid, who,
being kind-hearted, allows all souls to visit, and wishes
all to live in harmony. However, hungry wolves never
forget to hunt sheep. In order not to make the fairy
maid sad at the wolves they must kill, herders dress
the dead wolves in official hats and robes, and decorate
them with jewelry and colorful ribbons with a view to
making them reincarnate as lucky people. They also insert
a wooden club into the mouth of each dead wolf for fear
that the soul of the dead wolves would play tricks in
front of the fairy maid. The dead wolves are each carried
by four herders to walk around the lake. When reaching
a village or a pasture, they offer homage to the deities.
During the ritual, they perform a kind of dance called
Gyangxiong (History of Wolves). |
