Sun Moon Lake Ci'en Pagoda

After leaving Xuanzang Temple, proceed approximately 600 meters towards the Moon Lake area. You will come across a sloping fork road that leads to Ci'en Pagoda. From the pagoda's parking lot, a 500-meter forest trail will take you directly to Ci'en Pagoda. This pagoda was built by President Chiang Kai-shek in January 1971 (the 60th year of the Republic of China). He constructed it to commemorate his mother's great kindness and to encourage the people to practice filial piety and forever cherish maternal grace. Ci'en Pagoda is situated on Mount Shabalan, at an elevation of 954 meters. During its construction, all materials were transported across the waters of Moon Lake by boat and then moved up the mountain using a cable hoist, making the project exceptionally challenging. The pagoda stands 46 meters tall, bringing its peak to precisely 1,000 meters above sea level. Upon its completion, the pagoda's towering height made it a renowned landmark of Sun Moon Lake. From the highest level of Ci'en Pagoda, gazing towards Lalu Island, one can observe that Lalu Island, Xuanzang Temple, and Ci'en Pagoda are all aligned along a single central axis. The topography appears as a dragon's head stretching into the lake to drink, with Lalu Island marking the point of entry, Xuanzang Temple forming the dragon's head, and Ci'en Pagoda representing the dragon's heart. The 'Ci'en Pagoda' plaque above the main entrance was personally inscribed by President Chiang Kai-shek. Inside the pagoda, a massive bronze bell, dedicated to stabilizing the pagoda, has been hanging since its completion. The memorial tablet of President Chiang's mother, Madame Wang, is enshrined in a palace-style villa situated in front of the pagoda. The mountaintop where the pagoda stands offers a spacious open area and lawn, adorned with plum blossoms, cypresses, and other flowering plants and trees, as well as stone tables and chairs for visitors to relax.