Chagan Lake (China)
{{Short description|Lake in Songyuan, Jilin, China}}
{{For|the lake in Kazakhstan|Lake Chagan (Kazakhstan)}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Chagan Lake
| native_name ={{native name|zh|查干湖}}
| image =
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|pushpin_map=Jilin
| coords = {{coord|45.25|124.28|type:waterbody_region:CN|display=inline,title}}
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| catchment =
| basin_countries = China
| length =
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| area = {{convert|307|km2|abbr=on}}
| depth = {{convert|4|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth =
| volume = {{convert|415|e6m3|abbr=on}}
| residence_time =
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| frozen =
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Chagan Lake ({{lang-zh|c=查干湖|p=chágān hú}}) is a lake in Jilin, China. The name "Chagan" is from Mongolian ({{lang|mn-Mong|ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ
ᠨᠠᠭᠤᠷ}}, transliteration : {{lang|mn-Latn|Chaɣan naɣur}}, Cyrillic mongolian : {{lang|mn-Cyrl|цагаан нуур}}, transliteration MNS : {{lang|mn-Latn|tsagaan nuur}}), meaning white / pure lake (see also Chagan River re. another toponym including the Mongolian adjective tsagaan). It is often referred to as the Sacred Lake or Holy Water Lake ({{lang-zh|t=聖水湖|s=圣水湖|p=shèngshuǐ hú}}) by local people. The lake is known for its traditional winter fishing, featuring a technique which dates back to prehistoric times.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
Chagan Naoer winter fishing tradition
Chagan Lake is the only place in which the oldest of Mongolian fishing methods is preserved. It is listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China.
The annual Winter Fishing Festival is held to keep this ancient tradition alive.{{Cite web|title=(in Chinese) CCTV Special Program: Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Festival|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EPtmmP_zp4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/-EPtmmP_zp4 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} Fishermen first drill many holes through the thick ice and then use these holes to carefully position a 2 km net under the ice. The net and its catch is then hauled out of the largest hole by means of a capstan (see also Whim (mining)) turned by Mongolian horses. The Lake set a Guinness World Record of a single net that yielded {{convert|104500|kg|abbr=on}} of fish in 2006, and broke its own record with {{convert|168500|kg|abbr=on}} of fish in 2009. The principal species thus netted is the Bighead carp - a popular food fish, particularly at the Chinese New Year, when the consumption of fish is considered to bring good fortune in the year to come.{{Cite web|url=https://www.icefestivalharbin.com/photo-p144-1251-fishermen-are-fishing-in-chagan-lake.html|title=Fishermen Are Fishing in Chagan Lake - Chagan Lake Photos, Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Jilin China|website=www.icefestivalharbin.com|language=zh-CN|access-date=2018-09-05}}