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Updated Thursday, September 6, 2007 0:00 am TWN, By Richard Saunders, Special to The China Post



	Miaoli is one of Taiwan’s forgotten counties, more a place to pass through while en route between Taipei and Taichung than a destination in its own right. However, with a rich aboriginal and Hakka heritage, and plenty of outstanding natural beauty, there’s plenty to warrant a serious exploration ... Enlarge Photo

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Find weekend serenity at Xiang Tian Lake in Miaoli

This deep pool of chilly, deep blue water at the foot of towering, sheer cliffs is a perfect place for a summer swim, and yes – it’s distinctly triangular in shape. In the forest above the pool the remains of changing rooms and a camping area nestle in the jungle, testament to the fact that this was once a popular spot. Nowadays few people seem to come here, the path is overgrown (although still usable) and swimmers are likely to have this picturesque place to themselves, even on weekends.

Return to the junction and take the side road up to Xiang Tian Lake, and it shortly locks into a series of broad zigzags negotiating a very steep hillside. Enjoy the ever-improving view as the road gains in altitude, as in a couple of kilometers it reaches the crest of the hillside and disappears into the deep coniferous woodland surrounding the lake, before coming to rest at a parking area in the aboriginal settlement on the shore of the lake.

The forest here is haunted by honey bees, which live in countless white hives half hidden in the undergrowth. The honey they produce is a major business here, bottled and sold to the growing number of tourists that make the trip up here on weekends. A large grassy field nearby (looking in dire need of re-seeding when I was there) is the site of the festival that has made Xiang Tian Lake famous throughout Taiwan: the Sacrifice to the Short Spirits (矮靈祭).

The festival (named after the Saisiat tribe’s distant ancestors, who were said to be vertically challenged) falls on the 15th day of the tenth moon (usually in November). Don’t, however make plans to visit in a couple of months: the celebration is held only once every ten years, and the next one will be in 2016! If you can’t wait that long, a smaller version occurs every other year; the next “mini sacrifice to the short spirits” will be next year, in 2008.

There’s no need to time a visit to Xiang Tian Lake to coincide with the great festival (and the equally incredible crowds that accompany it). The trip here is worth making any time for a walk around the lake, a stroll through the delicious forest of conifer trees, and, at nearly a thousand meters above sea level, some refreshingly cool and clean air.

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