CALM CANYON: Xiata Canyon, one of the most beautiful canyons of Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (SHEN QIAO)

The Tianshan Mountains, which have captivated generations and featured prominently in Chinese swordplay dramas, are now on the world stage.

On June 21, the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held in Cambodia inscribed the mountain in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the World Heritage List of natural sites.

Thus far, China has altogether 45 sites inscribed on the list, surpassing Spain to become the country bearing the second most worldwide heritage sites in the world.

Natural beauty

"It's great that the Tianshan Mountains as a whole are inscribed as a world heritage! I have long dreamed of traveling there. I'd like to see the Heaven Lake, the snow-capped mountains, the original forests and meadows, and the red bed canyons. This news makes me even more eager to visit," said Lu Xiao, human resource manager of Womai.com, online food shopping website of the China Oil and Food Corporation Innovative Foods (Beijing) Co. Ltd.

Indeed, the mountains have long been a sought-after location among travelers. The site owes its mystery to the splendid natural beauty it presents.

Located in the middle of Xinjiang, the Tianshan Mountains cover 606,833 hectares. The 1,760-km Tianshan range is a temperate arid zone surrounded by Central Asian deserts.

The clear Heaven Lake, where the mythical Heavenly Queen Mother bathes, is clear and transparent like a giant liquid mirror. About 90 meters deep at an altitude of 1,981 meters, its water comes from melting snow and ice. Snowy peaks and verdant spruce are reflected in it, forming a beautiful picture and making the lake one of the most famous tourist resorts in Xinjiang.

The Tianshan Mountains are home to 15,953 glaciers, and they have dozens of peaks above 5,000 meters. These towering peaks, which are covered by snow all year round, look solemn and mystifying.

In addition to the scenery, the site is a treasure of biodiversity. It is home to the endangered snow leopard. About 66 percent of the world's 2,500 remaining snow leopards live in Xinjiang.

Below the snow-line of 3,000-meter altitude, the mountains are covered with evergreen spruce and pines. The dense forests provide a large proportion of timber. Also, the area is home to more than 80 kinds of medicinal plants, such as fritillaria, comfrey, henbane and motherwort.

After joint efforts for three years, the site finally found a place on the world heritage list. China's National Commission for UNESCO nominated Tianshan Mountains as a world natural heritage to the UNESCO on January 29, 2010.

A mountain of effort

"Now the whole world knows my hometown. I am so proud," said Bao Lidai. Bao was a herdsman who once lived in the heritage site.

He moved out of the area along with other herdsmen in June of 2012 to further protect the area and enable it to live up to the requirements of a world natural heritage by the UNESCO's WHC.