Erhai Lake, at Dali in Southwest China, is the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province. This beautiful freshwater lake on the plateau covers an area of 256.5 square kilometers, with an average depth of 10 meters and a maximum depth of 20 meters. As Yunnan is located far inland, it is said the people here sometimes call this lake the Erhai Sea to express their yearning for the distant ocean. Formed in a rift depression, Erhai Lake has been known since ancient times as the "flawless jade among mountains" due to the color and clarity of its waters.
