Sun Moon Lake

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 Island, which is considered holy ground by the Thao tribe. Today, the white deer of legends is immortalized as a marble statue on Lalu Island. Under Japanese rule, the island was renamed . After Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan, the island was renamed Kwanghwa Island () and in 1978 the local government built a pavilion where annual weddings took place. In 1999, the 921 earthquake destroyed the pavilion and sank 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 the 921 earthquake, the island was renamed in the Thao language as "Lalu". The Moon lake was dammed in 1919 by the Tosha Dam at the southern end of the original 'crescent' shape lake. ==Power Plants==

Several hydroelectric power plants have been built in the Sun Moon Lake since 1919, including Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant and Minhu Pumped Storage Hydro Power Station. When the first hydroelectric plant was finished in 1934, it was considered to be one of the most important infrastructure constructions of the time. Wujie Dam, also completed in 1934, diverts water from the Zhuoshui River to increase hydroelectric generation at the lake. The Jiji Line railroad was built to facilitate the construction. ==Transportation==

There are three ferry piers on the lake to serve ferries on the lake; they are Shuishe Pier, Xuanguang Pier and Ita Thao Pier. There is also a local bus service that goes around the lake with stops at major points along the perimeter of the lake. The lake is accessible by bus from Taichung HSR station or Taichung TRA station. It is also accessible by bus from near Checheng railway station on the Jiji branch line. The Sun Moon Lake Ropeway, located at the edge of the lake, connects it with the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. == Tourism ==

The lake is a popular tourist destination for visitors in Taiwan. In 2020, the number of annual tourist visits was 4.65 million people which then dropped to 3.03 million in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the number of tourists increased to 5.3 million. Surrounding the lake are biking and hiking trails for visitors. The Xiangshan Visitor Center is located adjacent to the lake, allowing visitors an upward view of the water. == Wildlife ==

The lake is a productive aquatic ecosystem. Introduced giant snakehead pose a challenge to the ecological balance of the lake and are a threat to native fish and shrimp species. The Nantou County Bureau of Agricultural Affairs has in place an eradication program for the species which attempts to electrofish schools of juvenile fish. ==PRC passport==

The depiction of Sun Moon Lake is featured in the newly-issued People's Republic of China passport in 2012, a move that has triggered protest from Taipei to Beijing. ==Climate==