Sun Moon Lake
Encyclopedia
Sun Moon Lake is the largest body of water in Taiwan
as well as a tourist attraction. Situated in Yuchi, Nantou
, the area around the Sun Moon Lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of aboriginal
tribes in Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake surrounds a tiny island called Lalu
. The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, hence the name.
. It is 27 m (88.6 ft) deep and has a surface area
of approximately 7.93 square kilometre. The area surrounding the lake has many trails for hiking.
While swimming in Sun Moon Lake is usually not permitted, there is an annual 3-km race called the Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake held around the Mid-Autumn Festival
each year. In recent years the participants have numbered in the tens of thousands. Other festivities held at the same time include fireworks
, laser shows, and concerts.
The lake and its surrounding countryside have been designated one of thirteen National scenic areas in Taiwan
. Wen Wu Temple (文武廟) was built after rising water levels from building a dam forced several smaller temples to be removed. Ci En Pagoda (慈恩塔) was built by late President Chiang Kai-shek
in 1971 in memory of his mother. Other temples of note include Jianjing Temple, Syuentzang Temple, and Syuanguang Temple.
, which is the holy ground for the Thao tribe. In legend, Thao hunters discovered Sun Moon Lake while chasing a white deer through the surrounding mountains. The deer eventually led them to the lake, which they found to be not only beautiful, but abundant with fish. Today, the white deer of legends is immortalized as a marble statue on Lalu Island.
Under the Japanese colonial era
of Taiwan, the Japanese named it the "Jade Island". 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 weddings took place. The 921 Earthquake destroyed the pavilion and sunk most of the island. In recent years, due to increasing social and political awareness, more deference and recognition are being given to Taiwanese aborigines
. As a result, after 921 earthquake, the island was renamed in the Thao language as "Lalu".http://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/smlen/main.php?first=Travel&second=Sights&name=La%20Lu%20Isle
Several hydroelectric
power plants have been built in the Sun Moon Lake since 1919, including Mingtan
. 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 was built to facilitate the construction.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as well as a tourist attraction. Situated in Yuchi, Nantou
Nantou County
Nantou County is the second largest county of Taiwan. It is also the only landlocked county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya Taiwanese aboriginal word Ramtau. Nantou County is officially administered as a county of Taiwan....
, the area around the Sun Moon Lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of aboriginal
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
tribes in Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake surrounds a tiny island called Lalu
Lalu Island
Lalu island is a small island in Taiwan's Sun Moon Lake. The island used to be much bigger, separating the lake into a part shaped like crescent moon and another part shaped like a round sun. When the island was still bigger, people used to live on it. Two events decreased the size of the island...
. The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, hence the name.
Overview
Sun Moon Lake is located 748 m (2,454.1 ft) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It is 27 m (88.6 ft) deep and has a surface area
Surface area
Surface area is the measure of how much exposed area a solid object has, expressed in square units. Mathematical description of the surface area is considerably more involved than the definition of arc length of a curve. For polyhedra the surface area is the sum of the areas of its faces...
of approximately 7.93 square kilometre. The area surrounding the lake has many trails for hiking.
While swimming in Sun Moon Lake is usually not permitted, there is an annual 3-km race called the Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake held around the Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou...
each year. In recent years the participants have numbered in the tens of thousands. Other festivities held at the same time include fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
, laser shows, and concerts.
The lake and its surrounding countryside have been designated one of thirteen National scenic areas in Taiwan
National scenic areas in Taiwan
-North Taiwan:* Northeast Coast National Scenic Area* North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area-Central Taiwan:* Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area* Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area-South Taiwan:* Alishan National Scenic Area...
. Wen Wu Temple (文武廟) was built after rising water levels from building a dam forced several smaller temples to be removed. Ci En Pagoda (慈恩塔) was built by late President Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
in 1971 in memory of his mother. Other temples of note include Jianjing Temple, Syuentzang Temple, and Syuanguang Temple.
History
In older English literature it was commonly referred to as Lake Candidius, after the 17th century Dutch missionary Georgius Candidius. In the middle of the lake is the Lalu IslandLalu Island
Lalu island is a small island in Taiwan's Sun Moon Lake. The island used to be much bigger, separating the lake into a part shaped like crescent moon and another part shaped like a round sun. When the island was still bigger, people used to live on it. Two events decreased the size of the island...
, which is the holy ground for the Thao tribe. In legend, Thao hunters discovered Sun Moon Lake while chasing a white deer through the surrounding mountains. The deer eventually led them to the lake, which they found to be not only beautiful, but abundant with fish. Today, the white deer of legends is immortalized as a marble statue on Lalu Island.
Under the Japanese colonial era
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
of Taiwan, the Japanese named it the "Jade Island". After Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
's Nationalist
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
Government moved to Taiwan, the island was renamed Kuang Hua ("Glorious China") and in 1978 the local government built a pavilion where annual weddings took place. The 921 Earthquake destroyed the pavilion and sunk most of the island. In recent years, due to increasing social and political awareness, more deference and recognition are being given to Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
. As a result, after 921 earthquake, the island was renamed in the Thao language as "Lalu".http://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/smlen/main.php?first=Travel&second=Sights&name=La%20Lu%20Isle
Several hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power plants have been built in the Sun Moon Lake since 1919, including Mingtan
Mingtan Dam
The Mingtan Dam spans the Shuili River about downstream from the outlet of Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan. About high, the dam was completed in 1990. It forms Minghu Reservoir which is the lower reservoir for the Minghu Pumped-Storage Project...
. 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
Jiji Line
The Jiji Line is a branch line of the Taiwan Railway Administration, located in Changhua and Nantou Counties in Taiwan. The length of the line is 29.7 km.-History:...
railroad was built to facilitate the construction.
External links
- Sun Moon Lake website
- Ah-Taiwan: Life in Formosa - Sun Moon Lake traveler's information