| Pagsum Co | |
|---|---|
 View north-east from Tashi Island | |
  Pagsum Co | |
| Location | Gongbo'gyamda County, Tibet |
| Coordinates | 30°00′51″N93°57′01″E / 30.01417°N 93.95028°E /30.01417; 93.95028 |
| Basin countries | China |
| Max. length | 18 km (11 mi) |
| Surface area | 27 km2 (10 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 120 m (390 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 3,700 m (12,100 ft) |
Dragsum Tsho (Tibetan:བྲག་གསུམ་མཚོ་,Wylie:brag gsum mtsho,THL:Draksum Tso,Pagsum Co (simplified Chinese:八松错, 巴松措;traditional Chinese:八松錯;pinyin:Bāsōng Cuò), literally meaning “three rocks” in Tibetan,[1] is alake covering 28 square kilometres inGongbo'gyamda County,Nyingchi of theTibet Autonomous Region, China, approximately 300 km (190 mi) east ofLhasa. At 3,700 metres over sea level it is about 18 km long and has an average width of approximately 1.5 km (0.93 mi). The deepest point of the green lake measures 120 metres. The lake is also known asGongga Lake.[2]
Surrounded by dense primary forests offir,spruce, andrhododendron, the lake hosts 195 native animal species and 242 phytoplankton varieties, including endemic fish like thenaked carp (Gymnocypris spp.), which thrive in itsoligotrophic waters. The northwestern shore features a 5 m² sacred boulder with a central perforation, believed to cleanse sins and cure illnesses through ritual passage.[3][4]
Culturally, Dragsum Tsho is central to theKongpo people, a Tibetan subgroup known for unique traditions like polyandrous marriages and silver-ornamented attire35. The 7th-century Tsodzong Monastery onDrowa Island (Chinese:扎西岛) exemplifies Nyingma school architecture, dedicated to Padmasambhava and adorned with ancient carvings of the deityHayagriva.[5] Annually on the 15th day of the fourth Tibetan month, pilgrims circumambulate the lake, tracing routes marked by King Gesar’s legendary arrow strikes and hoofprints of his warhorse embedded in shoreline rocks. The lake's designation as Tibet's firstAAAAA-rated scenic area in 1994 underscores its dual role as an ecological sanctuary and living cultural archive.[6][7]
| Climate data for Pagsum Lake | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) | 6.9 (44.4) | 10.3 (50.5) | 13.8 (56.8) | 17.0 (62.6) | 19.7 (67.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 20.3 (68.5) | 18.4 (65.1) | 14.7 (58.5) | 10.1 (50.2) | 6.6 (43.9) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) | −0.1 (31.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | 6.8 (44.2) | 10.4 (50.7) | 13.7 (56.7) | 14.8 (58.6) | 14.4 (57.9) | 12.5 (54.5) | 8.0 (46.4) | 2.6 (36.7) | −1.1 (30.0) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −10.0 (14.0) | −7.1 (19.2) | −3.7 (25.3) | −0.2 (31.6) | 3.8 (38.8) | 7.7 (45.9) | 9.1 (48.4) | 8.5 (47.3) | 6.6 (43.9) | 1.4 (34.5) | −4.9 (23.2) | −8.8 (16.2) | 0.2 (32.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 2 (0.1) | 3 (0.1) | 10 (0.4) | 27 (1.1) | 51 (2.0) | 108 (4.3) | 117 (4.6) | 100 (3.9) | 89 (3.5) | 28 (1.1) | 5 (0.2) | 2 (0.1) | 542 (21.4) |
| Source:Climate-Data.org | |||||||||||||
