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Covering a surface area of 7.93 sq. km, Sun Moon Lake is the largest natural lake in Taiwan and also a very popular tourist destination. Sun Moon Lake is located in Yuchih, Nantou, which is the second largest county in Taiwan. Lying in close proximity to Sun Moon Lake is the area which is now recognized as the habitation of the Thao tribe, an aboriginal tribe in Taiwan. It does not take a lot to understand that only a poetic setting could have inspired a name such as Sun Moon Lake. Theories abound as to how the lake got it present name, over the years these have melded so perfectly with legends that it remains an ambitious project o separate the two. One particular story talks about a group of peasants who spent four days in pursuit of a deer. Their chase brought them in front a sight which almost made up for their four day struggle. They say a lake encircled by mountains, glistening under the rays of the sun. The lake, they saw, was divided into parts; one with a moon shining and the other with a sun. The name came quicker than their breath. To the English speaking world, Sun Moon Lake was known as Lake Candidius; Candidius being the name of the 17th century Dutch Missionary whose full name was Georgius Candidius. Sun Moon Lake is swarmed by birds of all varieties and is a perfect place for bird watchers. Some of the birds that are seen in the vicinity of the lake are Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, Grap-throated Minivet, Formosan Yuhina, Gray Tree Pie, Bamboo Partridge, Chinese Bulbull and Muller's Barbet.
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