车上几位不同民族的旅客告诉我，在他们各自的语言里，青海湖有不同的名字。蒙古族人叫它“库库诺尔”，藏族人称它为“错温布”，但意思都是一样的，都是指“青色的湖”。汉族人叫它“青海湖”，多了一个“海”字，是强调它很大，像海一样。

远远看去，青海湖像一块蓝宝石，镶嵌①在一望无际的高原上。湖面倒映②出白色的云朵、飞翔的大雁，十分迷人。

青海湖中有四个小岛。它们像四颗珍珠，散布在湖面上。海心岛是其中最大的一个。岛上有叮咚的泉水，芳香的花朵，还有一座喇嘛庙。每年冬天的时候，青海湖面都会结一层厚厚的冰，喇嘛们就背着生活用品，走过冰面来到岛上，在岛上住三四个月。在这段时间里，喇嘛们专心修行③，不受外界任何打扰。

鸟岛是青海湖中最有名的岛。岛上水草丰美，吸引了大批候鸟。列车到达鸟岛站之前，车上的环保志愿者为我们发放了一些保护鸟类的宣传资料。他们介绍说，这些鸟儿大多是从马来半岛出发，越过高高的喜马拉雅山脉和横断山脉，来到这里生儿育女的。离鸟岛不远处还有一个蛋岛。蛋岛的面积很小，只有110平方米，上面散布着一个个鸟蛋。

青海湖出产一种味道鲜美的鱼——湟鱼。因为湟鱼全身没有一片鱼鳞④，所以又叫做“裸鲤”（luǒlǐ），意思是“光着身子的鱼”，听到这个名字，游客们都笑了。

青海湖周围有大片的高原牧场⑤。夏天，油菜花盛开，那大片大片金黄的颜色，以前只能在电视里看到，而现在，如此美丽的场景就在我眼前。我们到达青海湖的时候，正好赶上每年7、8月间举办的“环青海湖国际公路自行车赛”，这场赛事为这里增添了一抹生动的色彩。

 

 

Several passengers from different ethnic groups tell me that Qinghai Lake has a different name in different languages. Mongolians call it Koko Nor while Tibetans call it Tsowenbu. The two names mean the same thing—“green lake”. The ethnic Han Chinese call it Qinghai hu, which literally means “green sea lake”. The word hai “sea” was inserted there perhaps to stress that the lake was so big that it looked like a sea.

When seen from afar, Qinghai Lake is like a blue sapphire mounted in the vast expanse of the plateau. The surface of the lake is like a huge mirror, reflecting the white clouds and wild geese flying in the sky in a most charming manner.

In the middle of the lake are four islets like four pearls scattered on the surface of the lake. The largest of the four islets is Haixin Island, which boasts trickling springs, fragrant flowers and a lamasery. In every winter when Qinghai Lake freezes over with a thick layer of ice, lamas, with their daily necessities carried on their backs, will trek across the lake’s frozen surface and spend several months on the island. During this period they concentrate on their transcendental meditation without any interference from the outside world.

Bird Island is the most famous island in Qinghai Lake. The luxuriant water plants and grass on the island attract huge flocks of migratory birds. Before the train arrives at Bird Island, some environmental activists hand out brochures about the protection of wild birds. They say that most of the birds have flown all the way from the Malay peninsula, over the towering Himalayas and Hengduan mountains, before they finally reach the island and breed. Not far from the island is an islet called Egg Island. This is a very small island indeed, its total area being only 110 square meters. Birds’ eggs are scattered all over it.

Qinghai Lake produces a fish called huang whose meat is delicious. As it has no scales whatsoever on its body, it is also called luo li “naked carp”. When told about this, the tourists burst out laughing.

Around the lake are extensive alpine meadows. In summer, as it now is, a profusion of golden rape flowers extends as far as the eye can see. In the past such a scene could only be seen on television, now it is unfolding right in front of us. Our arrival at Qinghai Lake luckily coincides with Tour de Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race. This event adds vivacity to the magnificent highland scenery.

 

①镶嵌 xiāngqiàn: mount [a jewel]     

②倒映 dàoyìng: reflect

③修行 xiūxíng: practice self-discipline in accordance with religious tenets and rules  

④鱼鳞 yúlín: scale of fish     

⑤牧场 mùchǎng: meadow