Sun Moon Lake |
Travel in Taiwan | |
Overview
![]() The Sun Moon Lake is the largest lake in Taiwan and one of the most beautiful and most famous tour sites in Asia. Shaped like an irregular rhombus, the eastern part of the Sun Moon Lake is shaped like a round sun while the western part is like a crescent moon. Thus it was named “Sun Moon Lake.” The beauty of the Sun Moon Lake is the calm, turquoise water complemented by the majestic mountains that surround the lake. Layers and layers of mountains and countless mountain peaks can be seen as more distant mountains fade into the sky. Like a mystical Chinese painting, the scenery of the Sun Moon Lake is truly breathtaking.
History
In older English literature it was commonly referred to as Lake Candidius (gān zhì shì hú 干治士湖), after the 17th century Dutch missionary Georgius Candidius. In the middle of the lake is the Lalu Island, which is the holy ground for the Thao tribe (shào zú 邵族).According to legend, a long time ago a group of Thao hunters chased a rare and beautiful white deer for
![]() The entire area around Sun Moon Lake, including today's Yuchi, Toushe, and Puli, was once known as Shuishalian. During the Qing Dynasty the original Thao settlers were joined by large numbers of Han Chinese and Pingpu Aborigines (píng pǔ yuán zhù mín 平埔原住民) who moved in to cultivate the land, thus forming the cultural diversity of the area.
Under the Japanese colonial era of Taiwan, the Japanese named it the “Jade Island”. When the Japanese occupied Taiwan they channeled water from the upper Zhuoshui River into the lake for hydropower generation, substantially raising the water level and increasing the lake-surface area. The roads built by the Japanese to facilitate hydroelectric construction made travel to the area much more convenient, stimulating tourism at Sun Moon Lake and the development of the surrounding area.
After Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan, the island was renamed Kuang Hua (“Glorious China”) and in 1978 the local government built a pavilion where annual
![]() Several hydroelectric power plants have been built in the Sun Moon Lake since 1919, including Mingtan (míng tán chōu shuǐ xù néng diàn zhàn 明潭抽水蓄能电站). When the first hydroelectric plant was finished in 1934, it was considered to be one of the most important infrastructure constructions of the time. The Jiji Line railroad (jí jí xiàn 集集线) was built to facilitate the construction.
Climate The climate in this area is quite temperate with the highest summer temperature being less than 22C (71.6F) and the lowest winter temperature bottoming out at 15C (59F). With such a pleasant climate, it is a top choice as a summer resort. Rain or shine, winter or summer, the lake offers visitors a plethora of picturesque sights. If the scenery of the lake were a wall calendar amazing and breathtaking pictures would be found by turning over each page. The lake is extremely attractive at night. When the water is bathed in moonlight tinged with a layer of thin fog, it gives the appearance of a place existing only in legend.
Formation ![]() Because of the folding landscape, and faulting and eroding effects on the neighboring areas of Sun Moon Lake, this area boasts of many mountains and hills. Within this area, there are 13 different-sized basins, steep slopes, and collapsed areas. The basins belong to the Puli Basin Group, a major basin-distribution area, and of these, the Yuchi Basin (yú chí pén dì 鱼池盆地) has the largest surface area (21 square kilometers). Sun Moon Lake (5.4 square kilometers) is the only basin that stores water. The mountains around the Yuchi Basin, including Guokeng Mountain (1,331 meters), Dajian Mountain (dà jiān shān 大尖山), Shuishe Mountain (2,120 meters) etc. belong to the Puli Slate Mountain Region at the converging area of the Nangang River (a fork of the Wu River). The Toushe Basin (tóu shè pén dì 头社盆地) and Chonggui Basin (0.7 square kilometers) are the drainage basins of Zhuoshui River.
![]() Thao Tribe The Origin of the Thao
The Thao are the smallest of Taiwan’s indigenous groups, with just over 500 members. In the first decade of the 19th century, the Thao of Shuishalian wielded considerable power over their domains, which covered the lands in and around their six main settlements.
Ancestor Worship and Thao Religious Ceremonies
Ancestor worship stands at the heart of Thao religious beliefs. Every Thao household keeps a "spirit basket" in which articles of clothing belonging to the ancestors are kept and worshipped, symbolizing the eternal communion of the Thao people with their forefathers. All
![]() The Thao of today continue to perform the cycle of annual rituals followed through the generations in order to secure the continued blessings and favor of their ancestors. Important festivals in the Thao calendar include the Tilling Festival (February), the Seedling Festival (March), the Weeding Festival (May-June), the Hunting and Baiman Festivals (July), and the all-important Annual Harvest Festival (August), which is the traditional start of the Thao New Year.
Pestle Music ![]() The Thao of Sun Moon Lake The Thao are one of Taiwan’s aboriginal groups, and are classified as one of the southern tribes.
In the early Qing Dynasty, the Han people unlawfully encroached upon Thao territory which resulted in armed conflicts. This caused the Thao to flee to other places.
![]() After Taiwan’s Retrocession, the government followed the Japanese method of classifying the Aborigines into nine tribes. Regarding the tribes on the verge of extinction, such as the Thao tribe, they were all classified as a part of the Pingpu (plains) tribe. However, according to the chasing deer legend, the Thao tribe came from Alishan, so in 1951, the Thao tribe was reclassified as part of the Tsou tribe.
However, with time, further research indicated that regarding language, blood relationship, and culture, the Thao are very different from the Tsou tribe.
The Thao people have called themselves “Thao” for generations, and they are proud of their name. During the past 200 hundred years, the Thao tribe has become culturally assimilated to a certain degree. During this process, the Thao people have continued to peacefully with other people groups.
Attractions Lalu Island
Lalu Island (lā lǔ dǎo 拉鲁岛) which located in the middle of the lake is considered to be the home of the Thao ancestral spirits. It is also called as Guanghua Island (guāng huá dǎo 光华岛). Floating docks and fields surround the island in the shape of the Eight Diagrams.
![]() After the 921 Earthquake of 1999, out of respect for the Thao Aborigines, the Nantou County Government changed the island’s name from “Guanghua Island” to “Lalu Island”. The Tourism Bureau's Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration mapped out this island to be the ancestral-spirit island of the Thao, and on October 12, 2000, jiadong trees, regarded as the dwelling place of the Thao’s highest-ranking ancestral spirit, were planted on the island.
Ci-en Pagoda ![]() Ci-en Pagoda is an octagonal building; the 3 stories at the base are painted in white, while the 9 stories of the main body are painted in golden red. Tourists can appreciate the magnificent scenery of Sun Moon Lake from the Ci-en Pagoda. The tourists track as long as 700 meters lead to the Ci-en Pagoda. Alongside the track are beautiful trees and flowers, which make the track easy and comfortable to walk along.
Location: Yuchi Township, Nantou County
Tel: +886-49-285-5668
Opening Hours: The whole day
Admission Fee: Free
Private Transportation: Freeway 1 → Exit at the Nantun Interchange → County Hwy 136 → Prov. Hwy 74 → Exit at the Kuaiguan Interchange → Freeway 3 → Wufeng System Interchange → Freeway 6 → Exit at the Ailan Interchange → Prov. Hwy 14 → Prov. Hwy 21
Public Transportation: (1) Take the THSR to Taichung Station, continue by Nantou Bus to Sun Moon Lake stop; (2) Take the train to Taipei Railway Station, continue by Guoguang (Kuo-kuang) Bus to Sun Moon Lake stop; (3) Take the train to Taichung Railway Station, continue by Renyou Bus to Sun Moon Lake stop.
Wenwu Temple ![]() Location: No.63, Jhongshan Rd., Yuchih Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
Tel: 886-49-2855122
Opening Hours: Open all day long (after 8:00pm, please use the side entrance)
Transportation: National Highway No. 3, Caotun Interchange → Caotun → Provincial Road No. 14 → Puli → Provincial Road No. 21, Provincial Road No. 21 Jia
Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village ![]() Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village has five theme parks: the European Gardens, the Aladdin Plaza, the Aboriginal Villages, Amusement Isle and Ti Ka Er Rainforest. Amusement facilities in these five theme parks include joy ride, cultural square, artistic fountain, museums, 3-D theater, aboriginal dance show, etc. The Culture Village is entertaining and educational, perfect for families on holidays.
Location: No. 45, Jintian Lane, Dalin Village, Yuchi Township, Nantou County
Tel: +886-49-289-5361
Private Transportation: Freeway 1 → Exit at the Nantun Interchange → County Hwy 136 → Prov. Hwy 74 → Exit at the Kuaiguan Interchange → Freeway 3 → Wufeng System Interchange → Freeway 6 → Exit at the Ailan Interchange → Prov. Hwy 14 → Prov. Hwy 21 → County Hwy 131 → Township Road Tou-67
Public Transportation: (1) Take the THSR to Taichung Station, continue by Nantou Bus (bound for Puli, Sun Moon Lake) to Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village stop; (2) Take the train to Taichung Railway Station, continue by Renyu Bus (bound for Sun Moon Lake) to Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village stop.
Specialties Chi Li Fish
![]() The relationship between the chili fish and the Thao is similar to the relationship between the flying fish and the Yami Aborigines. The chili fish is an important source of food for the Thao. It is mainly caught in the spring and summer. In the autumn and winter, the chili fish tend to hide in deeper waters, making it harder to catch them. Because they are small in size, they are usually fried. The Thao also preserve them, and this is one of their famous traditional meals.
Aruzay Fish The Chinese name of aruzay (qǔ yāo yú 曲腰鱼) makes reference to the fact that its belly is slightly crooked. This is one of the fish varieties that breed extensively in Sun Moon Lake. When former President Chiang Kai-shek visited Sun Moon Lake, the locals presented him with some aruzay. President Chiang greatly enjoyed it, and from that time, it has also been known as “president fish”. Although aruzay is not unique to Sun Moon Lake, those found in Sun Moon Lake tend to be larger, and can grow to over 30 centimeters long. They have a very
![]() Many fishing boats with four-handed fishing nets can be seen at Sun Moon Lake, and these nets are mainly used for catching the aruzay. The bigger the aruzay, the better the taste, because not only is the meat quality good, but the bones are smaller. Artificially bred aruzay is worth NT$1 per gram. A half-kilogram of aruzay with a cooking fee is about NT$800. Another fish found in Sun Moon Lake is called wuchang fish (wǔ chāng yú 武昌鱼), but this type is less numerous; mostly artificially bred, it is larger than the aruzay. It is said that wuchang fish originated in the Songhua River in the northeast part of Mainland China. Due to Sun Moon Lake's depth and cold water, it was imported for breeding in this area.
Assam Black Tea Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s major Assam black tea (ā sà mǔ hóng chá 阿萨姆红茶) production area. In December of 1925, during the Japanese occupation, the Japanese imported tea seeds from Assam Province in India, and attempted to cultivate it in the Sun Moon Lake area’s Yuchih Township. This experiment proved to have outstanding results, and was then promoted extensively, becoming the most famous of Sun Moon Lake’s special teas.
![]() Siberian Ginseng A precious plant originally produced in the Heilongjiang River Basin and the mountain area of Siberia, Siberian ginseng (cì wǔ jiā 刺五加) is a member of the araliaceae (ivy) family. Because its medicinal effect is as effective as that of ginseng, and because the stem has thorns, it is known in Chinese as “five-thorn ginseng”.
![]() Ailanthus Prickly-ash The residents of the Shueishalian (Sun Moon Lake) area, regardless of whether they are Aborigines or Han Chinese, all enjoy eating “ailanthus prickly-ash (shí zhū yú 食茱萸)”, which has the nickname “thorny onion”. The locals have developed a unique cooking, food, and drink culture. In addition to cold dressing, deep frying, stewing, and soaking in alcohol, they also make cookies and cakes. The versatility of ailanthus prickly-ash is demonstrated by the fact that it can be cooked using all of these methods.
![]() Mushrooms It is only through visiting an orchard area that one can experience directly picking the product. Through explanations provided, you can learn about the mushroom's cultivation, as well as its gathering method and process. You can also buy some fresh, delicious mushrooms to take home for sampling.
![]() However, the cultivation and harvesting of mushrooms is different from the cultivation and harvesting of fruit, in that it involves bagging, sterilizing, and inoculation, and these methods are new to the tourists. After being bagged for half a year, the mushrooms can then start to grow. Not only are they high in quality and quantity, they are also very clean. Tourists visiting the Yuchih and Sun Moon Lake area should try to stop by the only tourist mushroom orchards in Taiwan. Mushrooms are one of the best ingredients in Chinese cooking, and have high
![]() In his research, a Japanese PhD agricultural scholar once noted that mushrooms have anti-carcinogens and reduce cholesterol. Regardless of whether they are fried, deep-fried, boiled, or used in soup, they always taste fresh and delicious, and are well received. Whether you buy them for your own use, or use them as a gift for friends and family, they make a great selection.
Sun Moon Lake
Location: Situated in Shuishe Villeage, Nantou Country, in the middle of Taiwan
Tel: +886-49-285-5668
Opening Hours: The Whole day
Admission Fee: NT 28
Transportation
From Taichung, catch a Renyou bus to Sun Moon Lake (NT212, two hours). There are at least two buses a day (at 8am and 3pm). From Taipei, Kuo Kuang Hao (02-2311 9893) runs buses directly to Sun Moon Lake (NT465, 4½ hours). Buses end their journey in the large car park behind the village.
From Taichung, you can also catch one of the frequent Fengyuan buses to Puli (NT150, one hour) and then transfer to a Fengrong bus to Sun Moon Lake (NT54, 30 minutes, every hour).
From Shuili, Fengrong buses run to Sun Moon Lake (NT49, 30 minutes, hourly). Buses from Puli or Shuili drop you off on the main road by the Visitor Information Centre.
From Shuili, Fengrong buses run to Sun Moon Lake (NT49, 30 minutes, hourly). Buses from Puli or Shuili drop you off on the main road by the Visitor Information Centre.
Hotel
Min Ren Hotel
Location: No 138 Chungshan Rd, Shueishe (Just across the road from the Shueishe Visitor Center (or bus stop)
Tel: (049)2855338.
Charge: NT$1000 for twin or double room (NT$1200 during weekends/holidays), breakfast not included.
Advice: The place is basic, and there is no lake view, but the beds are comfortable and every room has its own bathroom, AC and TV.
Tanxiang Resort Hotel Location: Situated near Sun Moon Lake
The website: http://tanxiang.sunmoonlake.tw/
Location: No.130, Zhongshan Rd., Yuchi Shiang, Nantou County 555, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel: (886) 49 2856 429
Introduction: Tanxiang Resort Hotel (tán xiāng jīng zhì dù jià jiǔ diàn 潭香精致渡假酒店) offers modern rooms with free Wi-Fi and a 32-inch flat-screen TV. It is within a 1-minute walk from
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