Attractions
No. 32, Taomi Rd, Puli Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 545
Cona's Chocolate Castle
There is a touching motherly story in Dream Castle.It began from a mother who wished to make the best chocolate for her daughter Nina.
After five year of construction, it left Chingjin Workshop in 2017, and re-located to Tao-Mi community in Puli. The overall design is presented with Baroque style.The combination of curve and straight line showcases the fantastic, childlike,and delicate characteristics of the brand.
Cona's chocolate is not only a dessert but also a delicacy that has a life of its own and comforts people's hearts.
No. 52-12, Taomi Ln., Puli Township, Nantou County
The Paper Dome
The Paper Dome is located southeast of the Taomi Eco-Village . The paper dome was designed by an architect Shigeru Ban after the Takatori Church collapsed in the 1995 Osaka-Kobe Earthquake as a temporary site for a summit. After it fulfilled its local mission, the paper dome that symbolized the reconstruction effort, it was shipped all the way to the Taomi community to continue its relief mission.
The church is held up by 58 paper columns and even the bench chairs in the church are made using paper. This was designed to convey the message that materials as soft as paper can hold up a building; the roof, exterior and even the rectangular corridors are both made of fiber-reinforced plastics and sunshine shoots through the roof to present a sacred atmosphere for the church.
No. 219, Sec. 3, Zhongshan Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545
Puli Brewery
Puli Brewery mainly produced glutinous rice wine, rice wine, taibai liquor, and sake in the early years after Taiwan's Restoration. Production volume, however, was not very high and most of the wines were sold to the local residents. After repeated experimentation using natural Ailan spring waters, the Brewery finally achieved a fine brew of shaoxing wine in 1952 that was finely received by various customers. Hence, the Brewery began to gradually reduce the production of cheaper wines and shifted its focus to mass production of shaoxing wine in 1966. The Brewery also faced stiff competition from imported wines, but its Ailan White Liquor proved to be a winning hit in 1995. Puli Brewery also started working with local industries, public administration, schools, research institutes, and other agencies in order to promote a healthy wine culture and diversify its business operations.
No. 310, Tieshan Rd, Puli Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 545
Kuang Hsing Paper Mill
The history of papermaking at Puli Township can be traced to the Japanese Occupation Period. During the heyday of paper making, there were over 50 paper mills in Puli alone.
Kuang Hsing Paper Mill was established in 1965 and was originally named Kuang Hsing Paper Crafting and Processing Facility. In 1973, the factory began manufacturing handcrafted xuan paper and changed its name to Kuang Hsing Paper Mill. Facing stiff competition from mechanical production, the modern Kuang Hsing Paper Mill is now focused on recreation and tourism. A Puli Paper Industry and Cultural Exhibit was established in order to provide guided tours on papermaking. Visitors are allowed to view the entire papermaking process and observe master craftsmen practicing the art of papermaking. A variety of DIY activities is provided as well. Interested participants may register online.
No. 111, Minquan Rd, Shuili Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 553
Checheng Visitor Center
Checheng is a rustic little village close to Mingtan Reservoir. As the terminus of the Jiji tourist railroad, the village prospered for a while in early days due to the construction of the reservoir as well as the logging industry; today, its economy relies on the railroad, logging, power generation, and winery cultures. It is now a recreation area with both leisure and educational functions.
In earlier times, Shuili was a transshipment point for timber, and with its large level space there were often one-hundred or more log carts parked here. Because of that its name originally meant "car yard."
During 1919, as the Japanese who occupied Taiwan were building a hydroelectric power plant at Sun Moon Lake, they built the Jiji Branch Railway to transport equipment and materials they needed for the construction work. Checheng is the terminal station of the Jiji Line, and during the hydroelectric project many of the construction workers lived here. This brought a period of prosperity to the town. In the 1960s, the Jhenchang Logging Co.. run by timber magnate Sun Hai, built a plant at Checheng, and the town became a major hub for timber transport. This caused such a hum of activity that the Checheng and Shueili areas came to be known as "Little Taipei."
But the timber industry declined, and Checheng declined along with it. In recent years, though, tourism has prospered along the Jiji Line, and Checheng, with its rich history of hydroelectric power construction and logging shipment, has received increasing attention. If you ride the train from Jiji to Checheng, you will go through a little tunnel and when you come out, the town of Checheng will be spread before you like a green vision. Today, Checheng is beautifully nicknamed a "secret garden."
No. 45, Jintian Ln., Yuchi Township, Nantou County
The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village earned renown for its popular theme area introducing Taiwanese aboriginal culture and for its lush forest and beautiful European Garden. An amusement park and other entertainment attractions have been added to the Village since 1992.An amusement park recommend The Spanish Coast, Caribbean Splash, UFO Gyro Drop, Mayan Adventure Roller Coaster, The Gold Mine Adventure, and Space Mountain VR for an adventurous experience. Today, the large numbers of completed attractions ensure the position of Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village as a highly competitive and leading edge theme park in Taiwan. Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village has worked consistently and successfully to upgrade its services and facilities. Such efforts have won numerous honors for the Village, including "Premium Award theme park", from government tourism bureau.
The park offer many rides and attractions including Aladdin Pavilion and Culture Square for the younger crowd and people who enjoy more subtle experiences. The park has enough to keep visitors of all age groups happy for hours on end.
No. 2, Zhongtai Rd, Puli Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 545
Chung Tai Chan Monastery
Chung Tai Chan Monastery was first built in 1994. Additional layout and modification work was carried out from 1994 to 2000, giving rise to the majestic Chung Tai Chan Monastery we see today. Senior Master Wei Chueh worked together with famous architect and layman CY Lee to integrate both Chinese and Western architectural styles within the essence of the Monastery. The meditative insight of direct enlightenment, the spirit of perseverance of gradual edification, and the atmosphere of ancient forests were utilized. This combined artistic, academic, religious, and cultural elements without compromising the element of Zen. The resulting Monastery is a remarkable sight. In addition to its breathtaking architecture, it also offers comprehensive hardware facilities for the worshipers.
The founder of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, the Venerable Wei Chueh , dedicated most of his life to restoring and preserving these treasures of enlightenment, aiming to bring to the public the calming and wholesome influence of Buddhism through the beauty of Buddhist art.
Inspired by the vision of our founder, local and oversea supporters over the years had donated many cultural artifacts from different historical periods to Chung Tai, which led to the establishment of the Chung Tai Museum in 2009. The inauguration of the Chung Tai World Museum and its branch, the Wood Sculpture Gallery, in 2016 marked a significant milestone in our mission. Visitors from all over the world may come and explore this unique Buddhist museum, standing like an ancient Chinese castle in central Taiwan, and discover the spiritual meaning, cultural value, historical significance, and most of all, the calming and purifying beauty of Buddhist art.
No. 421, Sec. 1, Zhongshan Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County
The Stele of Taiwan's Geographical Center
The geographic center stele of Taiwan is located on the northeastern corner of Puli Township. As it is on the peak of Hutoushan with an elevation of about 555 meters, it becomes a suitable site for the geographic center of Taiwan. Multipeaked mountains surround the area to give a green and fresh atmosphere as well as beautiful views.
As it was not the real central point of Taiwan, a stainless steel long post was set up at the same site in July 1979. The late president Jiang, Jing-Guo used to inscribe four Chinese characters, Shan Cing Shuei Siou,which means beautiful landscape.
No. 31-6, Taomi Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County
Taomi Ecological Village
Taomi Village is 5 kilometers south of Nantou County's Puli township.Surrounded by beautiful forests, wetlands, and creeks, the village seems to stand aloof from the world. It is not hard to tell that Mother Nature provides Taomi with a diverse variety of animals and vegetation.
After the devastating 921 earthquake, the residents and authorities devoted themselves to rebuilding the village. Taomi Ecological Village was reborn from the rubble. Here in the village, two thirds of Taiwan’s frogs, one third of Taiwan's bird species, and dragonflies as well as damselflies can all be observed. The small Taomi Village occupies merely 1/2000 of Taiwan, but it is amazingly blessed with abundant ecological resources that couldn’t be rivaled even with three other villages combined!
Realizing that their village had been blessed with “great mountains”, “great waters”, and a “unique ecosystem”, a bunch of residents who have been out of school for decades decided to go back to school, picking up books in order to reinvent themselves as ecological guides in the fields.
In the wake of the 921 earthquake, the villagers have grabbed the chance right at home to revitalize their homeland. Each day, the village comes one step closer to realizing the dream of building it as a unique ecotourism village.
Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 555
Ci'en Pagoda
Ci En Pagoda was built by the late President Chiang Kai-shek in memory of his mother. It was completed in April 1971 and sits on the 954 meter-high Shabalan Mountain.
The pagoda is 46 meters tall, bringing its top to an even 1,000 meters above sea level. It has an imposing traditional Chinese style and is divided into nine stories. Visitors can climb to the top, where they have a magnificent view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
The building in front of the pagoda was used as a rest house by President Chiang. It was designed by the Highway Bureau at the same time as the pagoda, and its design was modified by President Chiang himself. It was completed in January 1971, and became one of the late president's favorite places to visit.
No. 63, Zhongzheng Rd, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 555
Wenwu Temple
During the Japanese occupation period there were two temples on the banks of the lake: Longfeng Temple in Shuishe Village and Yihua Hall in what is now Yitashao. But when the Japanese built their hydroelectric power plants, the water levels rose, and the temples had to be removed. The Japanese electric company paid compensation, and the temple managers decided to combine their resources and build a single new temple at Songboling on the northern shore of the lake. The result was today's Wenwu Temple.
The architecture of the temple has the palace style of northern China. It is a large and imposing structure, with three separate halls. On the second floor of the front hall is a shrine devoted to the First Ancestor Kaiji and the God of Literature; the central hall is devoted to Guan Gong, the God of War, and the warrior-god Yue Fei; the rear hall is dedicated to Confucius. This is the only Confucius Temple in Taiwan that keeps its central door open. Temple officials say that they do this because the temple is on the bank of Sun Moon Lake and has many tourists, so they keep the door open for the convenience of the visitors. The bronze statue of a seated Confucius makes this also the only Confucius temple in Taiwan that contains an image of the sage. In addition to Confucius, there are also statues of his disciples, Mencius and Zihsih. These three images originally came from Mainland China. They were taken to Japan to escape the Boxer Rebellion near the end of the Qing Dynasty; later on, they were reproduced and brought to Wunwu Temple.
Another interesting feature of the temple is the two vermillion stone lions on the two sides of the front plaza. They were donated by Wu Huo-shih, the late chairman of the Shin Kong Life Insurance Company, whose name meant "fire lion."
No. 599, Zhongshan Rd, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
Xiangshang Visitor Center
he Xiangshang Visitor Center is both for tourism and administration use. The uniquely designed building has wood-patterned exteriors and wings that stretch like human arms embracing the earth. In addition, the two giant canopy structures, 34 meters long and 8 meters tall each, allow people to enjoy beautiful views of the Sun Moon Lake from the top.
Not only does Xiangshang Visitor Center offer lovely views of Sun-Moon Lake, it has a distinctive feature which is the internationally-renowned avant garde building designed by a Japanese architect; the nearby round-the-lake trail is complete and is certain to become a favorite scenic spot for cyclists; adding to its appeal are the building’s lights that by night create a totally different and breathtaking scene and style. Interior design was carried out after discussions with Norihiko Ddan and Associates and also with the assistance of Professor Zhang Zi-long of National Taiwan University of the Arts, the aim being to create a simple-but-fashionable café with a modern style, with main color of the building being white to match the building. The main bar combines glass and light elements, creating a pleasant visual effect. The shop area has an open layout and overturns the disorderly impression that shops often give, increasing the feeling of space and having a simple style. The seats are high-class with a pronounced design feel and the clever use of lights adds interest to the indoor space; as for the outdoor seats, the bright colors create a rich and lively visual effect. The “exterior beauty” of the café alone is captivating; getting to know its “inner beauty” is a really good reason to visit Xiangshang Cafe when you visit Sun Moon Lake.