Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan

April 07, 2017

Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan

Sun Moon Lake is located in the mountains of Nantou at the central Taiwan island, it is one of the only natural lakes in the country and arguably the most beautiful in Taiwan as well as a tourist attraction. The east side of the lake round like a sun while the west side resembles a moon, shaped like a crescent moon. Sun Moon Lake is located 748m above sea level. It is 27m deep and has a surface area of approximately 7.93 km2.

The area surrounding the lake has many trails for hiking. You’ll find bike rentals near the visitor’s center and the hiking trails and bike paths are surrounded by the lake. If you want to get out on the water, you can either take a boat tour of the lake, a boat tour is a very popular way to get views from the center of the lake. There are many boats leaving at many times for the 10~40 min. ride. Tickets are available at the dock.

Wen Wu Temple

During the Japanese occupation period there were two temples on the banks of the lake: Longfeng Temple in Shueishe Village and Yihua Hall in what is now Yitashao. But when the Japanese built their hydroelectric power plants, the water levels rose, and the temples had to be removed. The Japanese electric company paid compensation, and the temple managers decided to combine their resources and build a single new temple at Songboling on the northern shore of the lake. The result was today's Wenwu Temple.

Wenwu Temple is located at the shoulder of mountain where is on the north of Sun Moon Lake. It was built in 1938. The temple consists of three halls. The first hall, located on the second floor of the front hall, is a shrine devoted to the First Ancestor Kaiji and the God of Literature. The central hall is devoted to Guan Gong, the God of War, and the Warrior-God Yue Fei. The rear hall is dedicated to Confucius. Chinese guardian lions are located in front of the temple, one male and one female. Lions have not been found at Wen Wu Temples in Mainland China.