I visited the Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) of the Changbaishan in 2006 when the area was not yet widely visited. Sleet and rain prevented us from having a glimpse of the beautiful lake. This is not only considered the birth place of the Manchus but also of the Koreans. Even in those early days, SUV-loads of South Korean visitors were transported to the top of the crater and they knelt, kowtowed and wailed when they saw the body of water said to be the birth place of their nation.
Lily Lee <l.lee@sydney.edu.au>