Sun Moon Lake Year-Round Trail Introduction
Before the construction of the Huantan Highway, to visit the Weng-Wu Temple for worship, one had to take a boat to the dock below the temple and then hike up a steep staircase, which was quite strenuous. This staircase was once referred to as the "Sky Ladder." Later, after the completion of the Huantan Highway, tourists found it much easier to access the Weng-Wu Temple, and gradually the staircase below the temple fell into oblivion. In recent years, the National Park Service renovated the staircase, which now measures about 150 meters long and features 366 steps, symbolizing the 366 days of a leap year. Along the way, there are resting platforms installed on the first day of each month, and information related to the 24 solar terms is carved on both sides of the staircase, allowing visitors to learn about Taiwan's traditional folk culture while ascending. Consequently, this staircase is known as the "Weng-Wu Temple Annual Steps" or the "Annual Steps Trail." On the Annual Steps Trail, in addition to the seasonal customs information of the 24 solar terms, there is also a "Blessing Wind Chime" design that provides tourists with an interesting blessing activity. Visitors can first purchase a wind chime representing their zodiac sign at the Weng-Wu Temple, and after the temple blesses it by passing it through the fire, they can write their name and wishes on it. Then, at the entrance of the Annual Steps, they can ring a large wind chime and walk down the steps to hang their blessing wind chime on the railings on either side corresponding to their birthday, completing the activity. Walking on the Annual Steps Trail also offers a fun experience: each step is engraved with a date and the names of famous people born on that day, so you can search for the celebrity who shares your birthday! Finding them while walking up the 366 steps makes the journey feel much less burdensome.
