The Sun and Moon Lake

Lying to the north of Mount Yu and the south of Mount Neng, the Sun and Moon Lake is the most famous scenic spot and the largest lake in Taiwan Province.
The Sun and Moon Lake, which is classified among lakes of high sea lev-el, is formed by the water from Mount Yu and the cracked basin of Mount All. The sea level above the lake is 760 meters. The lake is of depth of 20 to 30 meters. Although its water surface area is a little smaller than that of West Lake, it is more than ten times deeper than the latter. The lake is surrounded by the green hills and rising mountain ranges reflected in the water. In the middle of the lake lies a beautiful island, which appears like a pearl in a piece of jasper. The small island, one kilometer in circumference, divides the lake into two. The north part is in the shape of the sun, so it is called the Sun Lake. The south part looks like the new moon, hence the name of the Moon Lake. They were officially named so in the Qing Dynasty and, ever since, have been praised as number one of "the Eight Landscapes in Taiwan. "
There are numerous pavilions, temples and old towers scattered around the lake. To the north of the lake, is a temple called Wenwu Miao half way up the mountain. Three hundred and sixty five steps from the foot of the mountain lead up to the mount. This trail is usually called "the Road to Heav-en." Hanbi Lou, a quiet and elegant building, is located to the west of the lake and affords a perfect place for viewing the surrounding landscape. Facing Hanbi Lou and standing apart from it is an ancient building, Xuanguang Tem-ple, a temple at the foot of Mount Qinglong to the east of the lake. Behind the temple at the top of a stone trail with 1,300 steps is the famous Xuanzang Temple. On the third floor of the temple there is a tower, containing several bones of Xuanzang, the senior monk of the Tang Dynasty.
On the top of Mount Qinglong stands a tower of 9 stories, which is called Cien Tower. The far-off beauty of the Sun and Moon Lake can be seen from the top of this tower.
The scenery of the lake varies with the four seasons, the time of day or night, and with the weather. Perhaps the most unforgettable is an autumn night when the lake is covered with the light fog and the moon is reflected in the lake. Whenever the moon is full at the mid-autumn, the youth of the Gaoshan nationality would gather around the lake. They dance old folk dances on the shores, and will present the folklore of how the fierce dragon was tamed.