Taiwan : Sun Moon Lake, TaiChung - SyuanGuang Temple 【台湾游】 台中之日月潭的玄光寺

Part 2 of Road Trip to Nan Tou (南投), Taiwan

Continued our road trip from the Bakery to Sun Moon Lake （日月潭）, Brother Zhang leave us at Shuishe Pier (水社码头) which also known as Sun Moon Lake Pier (日月潭码头). We waited Ice Hippo to buy us the Lake Cruise's (码头游艇) tickets to enjoy the sight seeing and well known temple. :) 

- A stamp for each guest -

Each adult ticket cost NTD300 and whoever going for the lake cruise will be stamped, without the stamp shown, no one is allowed to go for the lake cruise. So we took a picture of all of our stamped ARMs! :) Do you know which one is mine? ;P

- The Lake View from Shuishe Pier （水社码头/ 日月潭码头）-

A short walking distance that all of us need to walk before we go in to the right Cruise. :)



- That's Ours! -

The Lake Cruise crew required us to enter the Golden coloured Boat namely 日月之星二号 (Sun and Moon Star No. 2) , while during the lake cruise (before we stopped at the wharf of SyuenGuang Temple （玄光寺）), they introduced us the landmarks which can be seen along the lake and they even sell Owl Necklace to tourists as an ornament of protection and guardian of a person. Fukurou/ Owl is a symbol of good luck to them. :)

- Saw that golden pillar over the building? -

The pillar is made of GOLD!! If I'm not mistaken, it is a hotel at Sun Moon Lake.

- Arrived at the Wharf -



- Arrival at the entrance to SyuanGuang Temple （玄光寺）-

Crowded with people. Gosh! And everyone will take the hiking trail to reach Syuanguang Temple.



- The Map of Sun Moon Lake -

Sun Moon Lake area is so huge which consist of few temple and path way for hiking. I mean when there's a stair, that's for hiking purpose. Good environment for a walk.

- 阿麽之古早味 - 香菇茶叶蛋 (Ah Ma's Recipe of Mushroom Herbal Egg) -

They told us that the Herbal Eggs was good and yup! It was GOOD!! :) Everyone must try it and they were selling like hot cakes.

- Native Artists -

One of them looks cute. :) And I like their costume and their vocal.

I took a video and click "Play" to watch it for 1 minute ++.

- Native Tribe for performance (Youtube Channel HERE) -

Nice performance right? They are there to learn for a living and I love their voice. It was a loss that I didn't buy any of their records for remembrance. :( If I manage to visit Sun Moon Lake again, I will buy their CD! :)

- Hiking Trail to  SyuanGuang Temple （玄光寺） -

We had a walk for a while to reach the temple which located at the top. Along the path way, it was just green with trees and it just cleared a bit of our mind. Stop by and take some photos with the green background.

- Arrived at SyuenGuang Temple -

A perfect view of Sun Moon Lake from up there. Awesome and beautiful view right? I simply love scenery traveling kind of vacation besides.... SHOPPING!

- 拉鲁岛 (Lalu Island) -

Located at the middle of Sun Moon Lake and actually it was man made island. Once it was opened for the public to step on it, however, it was closed since an serious incident occured.

- Me and the Beautiful Scenery of the Lake -

- 盼望日月潭美景 A scenic view of Sun Moon Lake -

As written :

" The front of Syuanguang Temple affords  a fine view of Sun Moon Lake. Lalu Island （拉鲁岛） is clearly visible, as are all of the sights around the lake- the lovely hills of the Hanbi Peninsula and the Lalu hotel on its flank, and scenes near Shuenshe Village such as the Christian Church （耶稣堂）, Plum Lotus Garden （梅荷园）, Shuenshe Pier （水社码头）, and Jhaowu Pier （朝雾码头）. Passing tourist craft tie up expanding waves of ripples, adding a bit of movement to the picture-postcard beauty of the lake and the green mountains that surround it. "

- The Main Entrance of （玄光寺） - 

A long introduction about the history of the temple that I found from Sun Moon Lake's website.

" Syuanguang Temple, located around 2.5 kilometers from Xuanzang Temple, was built around 1955. The relics of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang are enshrined here. Xuanzang was a famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk. By order of the Tang emperor, he was sent to India to seek Buddhist scriptures.

After more than 10 years, he returned to China, bringing back more than 650 sutras, and together with his disciples, he translated 75 of these. He also acquired 1,335 scrolls. His efforts made great contributions to the spread of Buddhism in China. During the war between China and Japan, a Japanese person managed to acquire a fragment of Master Syuanzang’s bones from Nanjing. It was taken to Ci'en Temple in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, where it was enshrined. In 1952, this piece of bone was brought to Taiwan, and after Syuanguang Temple was built at Sun Moon Lake in 1958, Master Syuanzang’s bone piece was placed there and enshrined.  

This temple lies between Sun Lake and Moon Lake. Inside is a golden idol of Master Syuanzang, above which is written, “Great National Scholar”. A wharf has been built by to the waters, with its back to the mountains. " - Source

- Stone Carving -

Many tourists were there and queuing for their turn to take a photo with the Stone, I did not wait for my turn, however I just took my photo with it behind. :P (That's a trick to prevent from long queue.)

We had a walk and enjoyed ourselves with photography and the beautiful scenery and off we go to return to the wharf to the next tourist spot at Sun Moon Lake. FYI, beside SyuanGuang Temple, there are some other temples to be visit to, if we have more time with more hiking. :)

- Mascot Buddies were there! -

For those who haven't meet them, view from Left to Right - Meet Bunny, PomPom, Meatball Turtle and Doggie. :) Ice Hippo didn't make it to Sun Moon Lake, her owner (the foot) left her unaccompanied at the hotel while that's the arms of Carlos L. (the one who don't have a mascot :S)

Returned to the wharf and headed to the next place, 

- Jiu Ju Cultural Village （九族文化村） through Sun Moon Lake Ropeway （日月潭缆车） -

Another way beside by road, we could opt for ropeway from the Lake to reach Jiu Ju Cultural Village. From what I have understood, Jiu Ju can also be known as a theme park which inclusive of Taiwan native culture that will be shown to all. Anyway, because of time constrain and inadvisable comments for tourists like us, we didn't visit Jiu Ju. 

Okay! That's the end off Part 2, next will be...

The Village at Sun Moon Lake - ITA THAO VILLAGE (伊達邵)

See what's exciting during the visit to that village that everyone believe in OWLS! :)


View Sun Moon Lake ShuiShe Pier (B) with larger map

Official Website : Sun Moon Lake