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| Jilin, China |
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| Information |
Tianchi Lake
This lake lies in a remote region of the Jilin Province of China on the border of the Ryanggang Province of North Korea and is the home to a population of alleged lake monsters. Lake Tianchi is alternatively known as Chonji Lake in Korean or Heavenly Lake (or Pond) in English and lies in a crater atop the volcanic Baekdu Mountain. It is the highest crater lake in the world, resting at an altitude of 7,182 feet, and the surface area covers just less than four miles with a depth ranging from 700 feet to over 1,200 feet deep. It is believed that the lake was created after the explosion of Baekdu Mountain in 1597 and both the Chinese and the Koreans consider the mountain and the lake sacred. The official biography of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Il even states that he was born atop the mountain in 1942.
Lake Tianchi Monsters
The Lake Tianchi Monsters (or Lake Chonji Monsters) were first spotted in 1903 when one reportedly emerged and attacked three people. At the time, it was described as a huge buffalo-like creature with a deafening roar that quickly retreated underwater when it was shot at. In late August 1962, there were over a hundred sightings of a duo of creatures chasing one another through the water. The reports vary in the appearance of the creatures, with some describing a dragon-like head with horns and scales, while others report seeing a horse-like or even a human-like head with a white ring separating its neck and torso, which is composed of grey skin. Despite reported sightings, accompanied with video and photos that show something in the lake, scientists dismiss the reports and claim that the lake is too cold to support a large animal.
Regardless, there have been countless sightings of the creatures since, with over 30 reported sightings by foreigners in the last 20 years. In July 2003, several local Chinese cadres reported seeing as many as 20 of the creatures from a great distance, which they described as black and white dots that were obviously living creatures. In July 2005, domestic tourist Zheng Changchun filmed a large black object after it had emerged from the water until it finally disappeared back into the lake, causing massive ripples in the water.
Most Recent Sighting
On September 6, 2007, Chinese news reporter Zhuo Yongsheng shot a 20-minute video of six of the creatures swimming in three pairs. He described them as seal-like, finned creatures that spent around an hour and a half, swimming and frolicking in the lake. "They could swim as fast as yachts and at times they would disappear under the water. It was impressive to see them all swimming at exactly the same pace, as if someone was giving orders," he said. "Their fins - or maybe wings - were longer than their bodies." |
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| Related Sites |
Wikipedia: Lake Tianchi Monster
Wikipedia's entry on the Lake Tianchi Monster, where several reported lake monsters have been reported in the crater-formed lake on the border of China and North Korea. |
Global Monster Database: The Lake Tianchi Monster
Global Monster Database's on the lake monsters believed to live in Tianchi Lake on the border of China and North Korea. |
Cryptomundo: Tianchi Lake Monsters Video
A blog entry on Cryptomundo with the September 2007 video of an alleged lake monster in Tianchi Lake on the border of China and North Korea. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| Mouth of the Columbia River |
| Mekong River, Thailand |
| Lake Champlain |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Dark Destinations in the News (11/15/07) |
| Dark Destinations in the News (9/10/07) |
| Blog: Lake Monsters and Presidential Assassinations (09/06/08) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures |
Monsters (History Mysteries (Austin, Tex.).) |
Pedestrian Safety Expert Gets Hit by Bus: Another Weird Year of Bizarre News Stories from Around the World |
Fear This Book: Your Guide to Fright, Horror, and Things That Go Bump in the Night |
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