Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) ranks among the most enduring of Taiwan’s tourism destinations. According to local lore, a Japanese colonist built a holiday house on the banks of Sun Moon Lake and named it Hanbi Lou (涵碧樓) way back in 1901. Today, The Lalu continues this heritage (the hotel’s Chinese name is still “Hanbi Lou”), and on the happy connection with the house built more than a century ago, is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year.
Sun Moon Lake has developed with great rapidity over the last decade, becoming a must-visit location for Chinese tourists for both its historical associations and scenery. In its celebrations, The Lalu, one of Taiwan’s most venerable super-luxury hotels, aims to celebrate its association with four distinctive periods of Sun Moon Lake’s development.
The first is that of the Thao (邵族) Aborigines, who have inhabited the area around Sun Moon Lake since time immemorial. The tourist influx has proved a mixed blessing, but at least it has provided the impetus for a resurgence in traditional skills and the creation of commercial opportunities. Craft items of all qualities, from cheap dross to works by established artists, are now widely available.
Photo: Ian Bartholomew, Taipei Times
The second phase was the period of Japanese colonial occupation. During this time, the status of Sun Moon Lake was highlighted by a visit by the then-crown prince and future emperor Hirohito, who gave his imperial approval to the name Hanbi Lou, and said various complementary things about the area’s scenic beauty. His visit has done wonders for encouraging Japanese tourism to Sun Moon Lake.
The third distinct period followed the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government’s arrival in Taiwan and the construction of a holiday house for Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) on the present site of The Lalu. This association with the Generalissimo, who built holiday homes at some of Taiwan’s most spectacularly scenic locations, further burnished Sun Moon Lake’s reputation as a resort.
Hanbi Lou was subsequently converted into a luxury hotel, and following the completion of extensive renovations in 2002, it established itself as one of Taiwan’s most exclusive hotels. At a press conference last week to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the hotel, the recently appointed head of the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration, Chang Jenn-chyan (張振乾), boasted that The Lalu had set a high mark (both in price as well as standards) for luxury accommodation in the Sun Moon Lake area. With many new luxury hotels now established along the banks of lake, great energy is being dedicated to improving the overall standard of goods and services in the area.
Photo courtesy of The Lalu
For the anniversary, The Lalu has created a splendid menu that celebrates the food representing the diverse influences that give Sun Moon Lake its unique character. Chefs have used the rich culinary traditions of the Thao to create some exciting dishes. The banquet includes a sophisticated twist on salted boar meat, served as part of a cold starter, and a dish of shrimp marinated in millet wine (小米酒) and stuffed with soft millet grains.
From the Japanese period, there is “president fish,” or lobed river mullet, cooked with plum and perilla. President fish was supposedly a favorite of Chiang’s, though the use of plum and perilla to flavor and garnish the dish give it a distinctly Japanese twist. While the fish is much in demand by tourists because it is indigenous to the lake and the flesh is particularly fine, it is marred by the presence of innumerable Y-shaped bones that seem specifically designed to cause maximum inconvenience to those eating it. Other dishes celebrate Chiang’s association with the Zhejiang region of China, represented by dishes such as Suzhou-style spare ribs.
As a luxury hotel, The Lalu is cementing ties with China by bringing over top chefs to create classic dishes. One of the most exciting is whole fish cooked in water taken directly from Sun Moon Lake. The water is infused with the fragrance and sweetness of the fish through the skill of the chef, and is one of those dishes in which apparent simplicity belies years of experience in expertly drawing out the right flavors.
Photo courtesy of The Lalu
These dishes provide local references, historical associations and a sense of innovation, giving the dining experience something more than can be gained from conventional international cuisine. While The Lalu is keen to emphasize its unique links to Taiwan and Sun Moon Lake, it is also looking to expand its luxury hotel concept abroad, particularly to the burgeoning China market.
According to hotel chairman Lai Cheng-i (賴正鎰), The Lalu has ambitions to create 18 new hotels in China. A new resort, also emphasizing luxury and personalized service, has already broken ground in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
May 26 to June 1 When the Qing Dynasty first took control over many parts of Taiwan in 1684, it roughly continued the Kingdom of Tungning’s administrative borders (see below), setting up one prefecture and three counties. The actual area of control covered today’s Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung. The administrative center was in Taiwan Prefecture, in today’s Tainan. But as Han settlement expanded and due to rebellions and other international incidents, the administrative units became more complex. By the time Taiwan became a province of the Qing in 1887, there were three prefectures, eleven counties, three subprefectures and one directly-administered prefecture, with
It’s an enormous dome of colorful glass, something between the Sistine Chapel and a Marc Chagall fresco. And yet, it’s just a subway station. Formosa Boulevard is the heart of Kaohsiung’s mass transit system. In metro terms, it’s modest: the only transfer station in a network with just two lines. But it’s a landmark nonetheless: a civic space that serves as much more than a point of transit. On a hot Sunday, the corridors and vast halls are filled with a market selling everything from second-hand clothes to toys and house decorations. It’s just one of the many events the station hosts,
Two moves show Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) is gunning for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) party chair and the 2028 presidential election. Technically, these are not yet “officially” official, but by the rules of Taiwan politics, she is now on the dance floor. Earlier this month Lu confirmed in an interview in Japan’s Nikkei that she was considering running for KMT chair. This is not new news, but according to reports from her camp she previously was still considering the case for and against running. By choosing a respected, international news outlet, she declared it to the world. While the outside world
Through art and storytelling, La Benida Hui empowers children to become environmental heroes, using everything from SpongeBob to microorganisms to reimagine their relationship with nature. “I tell the students that they have superpowers. It needs to be emphasized that their choices can make a difference,” says Hui, an environmental artist and education specialist. For her second year as Badou Elementary’s artist in residence, Hui leads creative lessons on environmental protection, where students reflect on their relationship with nature and transform beach waste into artworks. Standing in lush green hills overlooking the ocean with land extending into the intertidal zone, the school in Keelung
RSS