世界之旅:Sun Moon Lake(日月潭)

        Surrounded   by green mountains, Sun Moon Lake is the pearl of Central Taiwan.　Sun Moon Lake   is the largest natural lake in Taiwan. The Eastern part of the lake is round   like the sun, while the Western part is shaped like a crescent moon - hence   the name "Sun Moon Lake".

        日月潭是台湾的“天池”，湖周35公里，水域9平方公里多，为全省最大的天然湖泊，也是全国少数著名的高山湖泊之一。其地环湖皆山，湖水澄碧，湖中有天然小岛浮现，圆若明珠，形成“青山拥碧水，明潭抱绿珠”的美丽景观。清人曾作霖说它是“山中有水水中山，山自凌空水自闲”；陈书游湖，也说是“但觉水环山以外，居然山在水之中”。300年来，日月潭就凭着这“万山丛中，突现明潭”的奇景而成为宝岛诸胜之冠，驰名于五洲四海。

     Inthe middle of the lake (between the "sun" and the "moon") is an island which has long been a sacred place for the Shao people. This island(Lalu) 珠仔屿或珠子山 is off-limits to visitors. Only the Shao people can go there to worship their ancestors祖先.　(There is a ferry that passes by it, departing every hour from 9:00 to 4:00). But the beauty of Sun Moon Lake is not Lalu. The beauty of Sun Moon Lake is found in the surrounding mountains. From the lake, tier upon tier of countless peaks can be seen rising up into the sky.　The nearby mountains appear dark with vegetation. The mountains that echo farther and farther away appearless and less distinct until they fade into the sky.

        日月潭美景如画，春夏秋冬，晨昏晴雨，景色变幻无穷。尤其是秋天夜晚，湖面轻笼着薄雾，明月倒映湖中，景色更为佳丽动人。每年中秋圆月当空时，高山族的青年男女扛着又长又粗的竹竿，带着彩球，来到潭边跳起古老的民间舞蹈。他们重演着征服恶龙的民间故事，把太阳和月亮顶上天，让日月潭永远享有日月的光辉。