Located in the Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, Pyl is the largest fresh-water lake in China. Having experienced many geological changes, Pyl is now wide in the south and narrow in the north, like a huge gourd葫芦tied on the waist of the Yangtze River. Pyl is a resplendent pearl on the vast Chinese territory. For thousands of years, Pyl has been nurturing the people in Jiangxi Province and attracting visitors with her charm. Looking out over the vastness of Pyl, with its blue waves that stretch to the horizon, is much like standing on the shore and looking out over an ocean. On days when the sun shines and the sky is a clear blue, the sky and the water of the lake seem to meet on the horizon. Pyl is rich in aquatic[?'kw?t?k]水生的plants, which create a ‘hospitable environment for many rare species of freshwater fish. In addition, many kinds of rare birds are attracted to the lake, making it a popular destination for birdwatchers.
There are many beautiful attractions in Pyl and the famous ones are Nanshan Hill (南山), Lake-View Pavilion(江天一览亭) and Pyl Bird Protection Area(鄱阳湖候鸟保护区). And I want to introduce the last one to you in particular. The Pyl Bird Protection Area is a sanctuary['s??kt?u,?r?]鸟类保护区for many rare species of birds. Measuring 224 square kilometers in area, it offers a mild climate and a habitat rich in aquatic plants and fish with no industrial pollution. In winter, Pyl is home to the world's largest population of birds. Every November, thousands of birds fly in from Siberia, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, and the northeastern and northwestern regions of China. These birds spend the long winter in Pyl together with the native widgeons['w?d??n]赤颈鸭, egrets['igr?t]白鹭, and mandarin['m?nd?r?n] ducks鸳鸯, leaving gradually as the weather starts to warm in March. So it is considered the largest bird sanctuary['s??kt?u,?r?] in the world. Every winter it plays host to 95% of the world's white cranes, a fact that gives it two of its popular names: 'World of White Cranes' and 'Kingdom of Rare Birds'.
The white crane, which is one of the world's endangered species, is a large wading bird about 135 cm tall. All of its feathers are pure white except for a few black ones on the tips of the wings, which give it its alternate name of 'black sleeve crane'. Its sword-like beak is brownish yellow, and it stands on a pair of long, pink legs. White cranes mate for life, and because they can live 70 years or more, the Chinese call them 'immortal cranes' and consider them a symbol of longevity[lɑn'd??v?t?]. Colorful birds are everywhere, skimming the surface of the water, soaring high in the sky, or circling and diving for a morsel of food. The elegant white cranes can be seen flapping their wings and playing with each other. There are so many of them that they can look like a great white wall – a
truly incredible sight.