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Sun Moon Lake
The Sun Moon Lake is so named because the southern part of the La Lu Island (formerly Kuang Hua Island) near the west end of the lake is shaped like a new moon, while the northern part is shaped like a sun. The most famous scenic sights around the Sun Moon Like are the La Lu Island, the Te Hua House, the Hsuan-Tsang Temple, the Tzu-En Pagoda, and the Wen-Wu Temple. The La Lu Island was dwelled by the Shao aboriginal tribe in the past. It was renamed Kuang Hua Island in 1946, but gained its original name La Lu back in 2000 when the historical and cultural heritage of the Shao aboriginal tribe was discovered on the island. The Shao people consider the island a sacred place, so that tourists cannot visit it. However, the beauty of the island can still be appreciated from the walking tracks surrounding the Sun Moon Lake. The Te Hua House (or the Tehuashe Aboriginal Village) is located at the far end of the Sun Moon Lake. Here, local and international visitors can have a glimpse at what a traditional aboriginal village looks like. The Shao aboriginal tribe is the earliest clan that lived in the Sun Moon Lake region. Their Harvest Festival, Sowing Festival and special handicraft fairs every year have helped preserve the particular culture of the Sun Moon Lake region. The Hsuan-Tsang Temple is located at the far end of the Sun Moon Lake. It is dedicated to a monk who traveled to India during the Tang Dynasty and brought back many important Buddhist scripts. Nearby is the Tzu-En Pagoda, which offers a magnificent view of the lake.
The natural forests surrounding the Sun Moon Lake are good places for bird watching. There are a lot of birds that live on the mid-elevation, such as the Grey-Cheeked Fulvetta, the Grap-Throated Minivet, the Formosan Yuhina, the Gray Tree Pie, the Bamboo Partridge, the Chinese Bulbul, the Muller's Barbet, and the Black Bulbul. Colonies of the Black-crowned Night Herons and the Egretta Garzettas, as well as such common birds as kingfisher and the Green-Winged Teal, can be seen at the Chu-Hu water reservation that is situated around the lake's water gate. Besides these birds, fish, wild pigs, raccoons, insects and wild vegetables are flourishing in the region as well. Here is an interesting article to read:
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The
Sun Moon Lake is located in Yuchih Township in central Taiwan's Nantou
County. With an elevation of 748 meters above sea level, it is the only
natural big lake in Taiwan.
On
the northeast shore of the Sun Moon Lake is the Wen-Wu Temple. It is dedicated
to both Confucius and Kuankung, the God of War. The temple's shop offers
plenty of fascinating scroll paintings and other art crafts.