The Precious Pearls of Suibei – Lama Lake

Lama Lake, also known as Lemah Lake, Lo-ma Lake, and Ma-le Lake, is located in the north of Jiangsu Province. According to the ‘Biography of Emperor Zhezong of Song’, ‘In the fourth month of the fifth year of Shao-xing (1131), gold generals stationed themselves in Lue-ma Lake near Suqian.’ ‘Lama’ is a homonym of ‘Le’ and ‘Falling’ and was named by gold troops when they camped here.

Before the Ming Dynasty, it was only a depression formed by the accumulation of the Yishui River into the south bank of the Han River, north of the Han River, and on the west side of the Malin Mountains, forming four unconnected small lakes, which is a typical lake formed by geological movement. The one in the middle is called Da Jianghu, the northwest is called Youtou Lake, the northeast is called Niantou Lake, and the south is called Lama Lake, with rivers from Yishui and Han River mainly flowing into it from the northwest side. After the Yellow River encroached on the Han River and gained the upper hand, the Han River gradually became silted up. Until the late Ming Dynasty, the severely obstructed Yishui was forced to stagnate and formed this lake, resulting in the four small lakes merging into one and collectively called Lama Lake.

Before the Qing Dynasty, the Xi-zhu branch of the Shitu River would meet Yishui and flow into Lama Lake. The Han River, formed north of Xuzhou, would also flow down into Lama Lake with floods, which caused the water area of Lama Lake to gradually expand, becoming a large lake with a length of 35 kilometers north-south and a width of 15 to 20 kilometers east-west. From the Ming and Qing dynasties to the early years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Lama Lake was a lake used for flood retention. The lake area was 296 square kilometers, with a storage capacity of 2.7 billion cubic meters, maximum depth of 5.5 meters, and 60 or more islands, ranking as one of the nation’s seven largest freshwater lakes and the fourth largest freshwater lake in Jiangsu Province, with water quality consistently meeting the national Grade II standard for surface water.

Lama Lake’s unique wetland and shoal ecosystem play a significant role in regulating climate, degrading pollutants, and has an important function as a large flood retention and storage water reservoir. It has been designated as the Su-bei Water Conservancy Wetland Protection Zone in Jiangsu Province and is also an important transshipment station for the South-to-North Water Transfer Project.

Lama Lake is a paradise for plants and animals. There are 8 orders and 157 species of plankton plants, 44 genera and 129 species of vascular plants, and 3 species of wild soybean, lotus, and wild reed, which are nationally Grade II protected. Animal resources include 7 classes and 300 species, including 158 species of birds, 2 species of national Grade I protected birds, and 16 species of national Grade II protected birds, mainly including swans, gray geese, and mandarin ducks.

Nature has generously provided Lama Lake with conditions for forming the lake and abundant resources. Lama Lake’s aquatic products are abundant, including 20 kinds of aquatic plants such as reed, lotus, reed, and cattail, and 60 kinds of fish, with silver fish, green shrimp, and crabs being representative ‘Lama Lake Three Delicacies’ and ‘Six Famous Dan’ – all considered treasures of the lake.

Waterweed, reeds, and beautiful scenery, is one of the characteristics and landscapes of Lama Lake. In the spring, summer and autumn, green shade covers the water, white reeds accompany red lotuses, creating a vibrant picture. Rowing on the lake will be intoxicated by the interplay of waves and ripples, birds and grass, and create a wonderful scene.

Numerous lakes and islands, like pearls dropped into jade plates, full of nature and antiquity, original and wild, and human-made and natural. They are like fairyland or Penglai in dream, and there is ‘boats playing in the water, water playing in boats, autumn water flowing endlessly blue, people in a painting boat’ - full of poetic and picturesque feeling, just like a painting of human and nature being one.”

60""""

""