Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Spot

--Sun Moon Lake, also known as shuiliansha, is the largest natural freshwater lake in Taiwan. It is one of the eight famous scenic spots in Taiwan and is known as "another cave in the world".

--There are six theme parks, including landscape, nature, peacock and butterfly, waterfowl, religion, and eight special scenic spots.

--There is a small island in the Sun Moon Lake. From afar, it looks like a bead floating on the water. It is called "Pearl Island".

--In addition to boating and cycling, there are many scenic spots around the lake, such as Hanbi tower, Ci'en tower, Xuanguang temple, Wenwu temple, Dehua society, mountain cultural village and Peacock Garden, which are good places to visit the endless beauty of Sun Moon Lake.

Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Spot

Located in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan, the Sun Moon Lake scenic spot has a normal area of 7.93 square kilometers, a full water level of 8.4 square kilometers, a maximum water depth of 27 meters, and an elevation of 748 meters. It is the largest natural lake in Taiwan and one of the freshwater lakes with the most alien species. However, the lake is second only to the Zengwen reservoir in Chiayi, and the Sun Moon Lake is also the residence of the Shao people in Taiwan Autumn moon in Shuangtan is one of the eight scenic spots in Taiwan. In the past, the Pingpu People called the aborigines living in the mountains "Shalian", while the largest ponding basin in neishan was the first district of Riyuetan, so Riyuetan was also called shuishalian.

Development history

In July 1918, Taiwan Electric Power Co., Ltd. began to build the menpaitan power station. However, due to the lack of funds, it was not completed until June 1934, which was renamed the first power station of Sun Moon Lake. The lake area of Sun Moon Lake also expanded from 4.55 square kilometers to 7.73 square kilometers. In 1944, it was damaged by aircraft bombing and power generation stopped. In 1946, Taiwan electric power company was established to repair the power plant and restore power supply. In October 1948, it was renamed Daguan power plant. In 1970, Riyuetan was designated as a provincial scenic spot. After the 921 earthquake in 1999, reconstruction work was carried out and a new service plan was designed. In January 2000, the Management Office of Riyuetan national scenic spot was established. In addition to Riyuetan, it expanded to Yuchi Township in the north, shuishedashan in the East, jijidashan in the West and shuilisheyao in the south.

The Sun Moon Lake is formed by accumulated water in the fault basins of Yushan and alishanzhang. Huantan is 35 kilometers long, with an average water depth of 30 meters and a water area of more than 900 hectares, about one third larger than the West Lake in Hangzhou. Sun Moon Lake is a famous scenic spot in Taiwan. It is the best of the eight scenic spots in Taiwan. It is also the only natural lake on Taiwan Island. Its natural style is comparable to that of Hangzhou West Lake. The lake is 740 meters above sea level, covering an area of 7.73 square kilometers. There is a small island in the lake named Zhuzi Island, also known as Zhuzi mountain, 745 meters above sea level. Taking this island as the boundary, the north half of the lake is shaped like a round sun, and the South half of the lake is shaped like a crescent moon, hence the name of Sun Moon Lake

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The beautiful scenery of Sun Moon Lake is picturesque. In spring, summer, autumn and winter, the scenery is changeable. Especially in autumn night, the lake is covered with mist, and the bright moon is reflected in the lake, making the scenery more beautiful and moving. Every year when the full moon is in the sky in the Mid Autumn Festival, young men and women of Gaoshan ethnic group come to the pool with long and thick bamboo poles and colorful balls to dance ancient folk dances. They repeat the folktale of conquering the dragon, putting the sun and the moon into the sky, and making the Sun Moon Lake enjoy the glory of the sun and the moon forever

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Myths and legends

There is also a beautiful legend about the name of Sun Moon Lake. Once upon a time, there lived two dragons in this big pool. One day, the sun passed through the sky, and the Dragon leaped up and devoured the sun. At night, when the moon passed through the sky, the mother dragon leaped up and swallowed the moon. This pair of dragons swam around in the pool, spitting and swallowing the sun and moon, touching and hitting each other, like playing ball of beads. They only want to play for themselves, but they don't expect that there is no sun and moon in the world. They can't tell day from night. The trees are withered, the birds are not singing, the ripening rice in the paddy field is withered, the food of every household is eaten up, the cattle and sheep are starving, and the life can't go on

At this time, a local young man and woman, smart and brave Dajian brother and shuishe sister, determined to find the sun and moon for the world. But how to kill the dragon? Brother Dajian and sister shuishe sneak into the cave where the dragon lives. From the dragon's conversation, they overhear that they are most afraid of the golden axe and scissors buried at the bottom of Mt. Ali.

Brother Dajian and sister shuishe went through all kinds of hardships and hardships. They finally came to the foot of Ali Mountain and dug out gold axes and scissors from the foot of the mountain. Then they went back to the pool. Two dragons were playing with the sun and the moon in the pool. Brother Dajian jumped down the pool, waved a golden axe, and cut the dragon's head full of blood. Sister shuishe saw the right time and cut the dragon's stomach with golden scissors.

The two dragons died, but the sun and moon still sank in the pool. Brother Dajian took off the two eyes of the male dragon and swallowed them; sister shuishe took off the eyes of the female dragon and swallowed them. They became giants and stood in the pool like two mountains. Big brother Jian threw the sun hard. Sister shuishe pulled up the palm trees beside the pool and held the sun up to the sky. Then sister shuishe threw the moon into the sky, and brother Dajian also put the moon into the sky with palm trees.

The sun and the moon are high in the sky, shining on the earth, and everything revives. When the grass and trees are alive, the birds in the trees are singing again, and the rice in the fields is heading again, people are cheering. And big Jiange and sister shuishe have become two majestic mountains standing by the pool forever.

Later, people called this big lake Sun Moon Lake, and the two big mountains dajianshan and shuishe mountain. Every autumn, people can still be seen wearing beautiful clothes, picking up bamboo poles and colored balls to play ball dance by the Sun Moon Lake, learning from Dajian and shuishe, throwing the colored ball to the sky, and then holding it with bamboo poles to prevent it from falling down, so as to commemorate Dajian and Shuihua, the young heroes.

Main attractions

Wenwu Temple

Wenwu temple was founded in 1932, located on the hillside to the north of Sun Moon Lake. It is mainly dedicated to the emperor Guan, and is also dedicated to Confucius and Yue Fei. The temple is mainly golden and towering. But its situation is steep, if you take a boat, you can park at the foot of the mountain, and you can climb up 365 stone steps. In front of the hall, there are stone sculptures with Double Dragons and beads. On the hillside of the back hall of Shangwu temple, you can overlook the view of Sun Moon Lake.

Natural trail system

Maoyao mountain trail: it is a 4.7 km long trail beside Mingtan middle school in shuishe village. It is located in maoyao basin in the upper reaches of Dalin River, with an altitude of 670-700 meters. The trail can lead to the tea garden of Yuchi branch of tea improvement factory, and the mountain of Taiwan fir forest. You can have a bird's-eye view of the Sun Moon Lake, around shuishe mountain, Jiji mountain and so on Good place.

Tutingzai Trail: it is located at 9.5km of tai-21-a line around the lake highway, at the junction of Qielan mountain and sabalanshan mountain in the south of yidashao. The trail is about 600m long, 80m high and 80m low. The terrain along the way is undulating and curved. At the end of the climb, there is a prospect building to overlook the landscape.

Shuishe Dashan Trail: shuishe Dashan trail is 2.059 meters above sea level. It is the highest mountain around Sun Moon Lake and also a fish pond. It is the demarcation point between Xinyi Township and shuishe Dashan trail

From near Dehua community of Riyue village, climb along the mountain forest, pave the stone steps along the footpath, and reach the hillside after walking 1853 layers of stone steps.

Songbailun Trail: it is located at 1.95 km of tai21-a highway around the lake, between Wenwu temple and Peacock Garden.

Dazhu Lake Trail: it is located at 3.5km of tai-21-a line around the lake highway. It is located in the Tanan water area between songbailun mountain and Buji mountain. It is an 80m long trail built by logs and deep into the Tanan water area by the road around the lake. There is an intake in the water area, which looks like a swimming spring when it enters the water. It is a wonder.

Water frog head Trail: located at 4.9km of Tai 21-a highway around the lake, between Didang Dazhu lake trail and yidashao, the trail is made of logs and plywood, with a total length of more than 500m and a height drop of about 60m. It is a pleasant and healthy trail with gentle slope. Along the way, the green bamboo trees are uneven and covered with all kinds of wild flowers and plants. Ferns are the most attractive location of Sun Moon Lake.

Lalu Island: Lalu island is located in the Sun Moon Lake, bounded by Lalu island. The Sun Moon Lake is divided into sun lake and Moon Lake. After the Nationalist government came to Taiwan, it was renamed Guanghua Island, and later it was renamed Lalu island. It is the resting place for the souls of the ancestors of the Shao people in Taiwan. Due to the September 21 earthquake, most of the buildings on the island were damaged, and part of the island sank into the water. Restoration works began in 2007.

Hanbi building

Hanbi tower was built by a Japanese surnamed ITO during the Taisho Period of the Japanese occupation. During the Japanese occupation, Hanbi tower was one of the most important places for officials and dignitaries from all walks of life to go to Riyuetan for recreation. Later, due to the construction of the water conservancy project of Riyuetan, the Japanese government relocated it and rebuilt it as the guest house of Prince Hirohito. He also served as Chiang Kai Shek's guild hall. In 1998, it was operated by the private sector. After the 921 earthquake in 1999, the old pavilion was almost completely flattened. After reconstruction, it was transformed from Jianshang Xianglin Construction Group in the central region into a tourist hotel.

Peacock Garden

Located beside the highway around the lake, a zoo for peacocks was set up in 1968. There are about 200 peacocks in the garden, mainly blue peacocks.

Tower of mercy

It was built by Chiang Kai Shek in memory of his mother, Mrs. Wang Tai. build