As a gold dish inserted in sharp rocks lay a lake. From the South this basin is locked by a chain of snowy giants. The Tihen-Shan were like a steep wall. Far away in the South-West the snow summits are hidden beside the horizon and seemed to rise right from the blue water of the lake. Eventually, the gold colour turned to dark red, becoming darker till it became completely dark.

P.P. Semjonow, Tian-Shan researcher approx. 1850

Along the horizon from edge to edge, the Tien-Shan system stand dressed in glaciers and snow. All the systems shines with orange-gold and red and Khan-Tengri supervises it as a gigantic cutting diamond inserted in the turquose-dark sky.

M.T. Progrebezki, Ukrainian mountain climber approx. 1930