Seaside scenery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. IC

On the banks of the lake are many pavilions, terraces and towers. Xuanzang Temple to the south of the lake and Wenwu Temple to the north are commonly considered to be the most dramatic of the structures. Enshrined in the Xuanzang Temple is Xuanzang, a prominent Tang Dynasty (618-907) Buddhist monk who made a pilgrimage to India and returned with many sutras. Commemorated in the Wenwu Temple are various legendary Chinese gods and personages, including Confucius and Shennong, a renowned ruler of ancient times who instructed in the ways of agriculture. A magnificent structure, tourists arrive at the entrance of Wenwu Temple after climbing 365 steps from the pier in front of the temple. Some joke that it takes an entire year to reach the entrance.

Sun Moon Lake is also the place where the Thao aborigines live in their compact community. There, in Dehua Village near the lake, the local aborigines live in what is now a cultural village. The village has set up an exhibition hall to display the house wares and sculptures of Taiwan's aboriginal tribes and to sell local handicrafts. The villagers also offer their song and dance performances for the pleasure of visiting tourists.