Sun Moon Lake, located in Nantou County of Taipei City, is surrounded by Mount Shuishe and Mount Dajian, covering an area of 7.7 square kilometers and an average water depth of 40 meters, divided into northern and southern sections by an island called Guanghua.

There is a legend that illustrates the scenic area: three hundred years ago, a group of peasants were hunting when they found a large white deer running to the northwest, and they followed it for three days and nights, but it finally disappeared in the forest. On the fourth day, after they had moved through the forest, they came upon an impressive vista, which is the present Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area. There are numerous tourist attractions in this area including Wenwu Temple, Guan Yu Temple, Guanghua Island, and much more.

Wen Wu Temple(文武廟)

 

Wen Wu Temple is open all year round. It is a very impressive and ornate temple complex consisting of three halls. The forward hall is called The Water and Clouds Hall and contains a shrine dedicated to the god of scholars and literature. The middle hall, The Martial Sage Hall, is dedicated to Guan Gong, the god of war. The third and final hall, Da Cheng, is dedicated to Confucius.

Ci En Pagoda (慈恩塔)

 

Former Taiwan president, Chiang Kai Shek, built the Ci En Pagoda in memory of his mother. As far as pagodas go, the architectural style is typically Chinese. There is also a small building at the base of the Ci En Pagoda that Chiang Kai Shek used during is visits.

Perhaps one of the highlights of this attraction is the 700 meter stair climb to the top. From the top of the pagoda, you can get a great view of the lake and surrounding area.

Xuan Zhuang Temple (玄裝寺)

 

This temple is dedicated to Xuan Zhuang. Xuan Zhuang was responsible for bringing many important scriptures from India and thus furthering Buddhist enlightenment in China. His remains finally came to rest here in 1965. Although not as impressive as Wen Wu Temple, if you are after serenity, this temple is well worth a visit.