Yuchi

Yúchí (魚池) is a township in central Nantou and the traditional homeland of the Thao (邵族), one of Taiwan’s smallest recognized Indigenous group. Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), originally the island’s largest natural lake, dominates the southern part of the township; its surface area was greatly expanded during construction of the Sun Moon Lake hydroelectric project, which diverted water from the Zhuoshui River via tunnels from Wujie Dam. The project displaced Thao communities and transformed the area; Lalu Island (拉魯島), sacred to the Thao, was partially submerged by the rising waters. In the post-war era, the local camphor industry gave way to black tea, now one of the township’s signature products.