月牙泉

Crescent Moon Lake (Yueyaquan) is a sliver of intensely blue water cradled in a hollow between the towering Mingsha dunes, just 6 kilometres south of Dunhuang. Shaped precisely like a crescent moon — roughly 218 metres long and 54 metres wide — the spring has maintained its form for at least 2,000 years despite being surrounded by shifting desert sands, a hydrological marvel that ancient Chinese writers attributed to divine intervention. The lake is fed by underground springs and despite severe water loss in the 20th century due to irrigation, it has been partially restored by groundwater recharge programmes. A small pavilion with upswept eaves — traditionally associated with the figure of the lady Chang'e gazing at the moon — sits on the northern shore, reflected in the mirror-still water. The combination of the turquoise lake, white dunes, and blue sky is one of northwestern China's most photographed vistas.