Millions of years ago, Aydingkol Lake was a freshwater lake one thousand times the size of the present one. But, except for a sheet of very shallow water in its southwest part, today's Aydingkol Lake is covered only by silvery white salt crystals and salt crusts shimmering on the dried-up lake bottom. For this reason, the local Uygur people call it "Moonlight Lake". People are easily misled by the false appearances of the mirages and the "dry" surface of the lake and often get bogged down. Here one can not find fish in water or birds in the sky, only a hare or a field-mouse scurrying away.