Ci En Pagoda was built by the late President Chiang Kai-shek in memory of his mother. It was completed in April 1971 and sits on the 954 meter-high Shabalan Mountain.
The pagoda is 46 meters tall, bringing its top to an even 1,000 meters above sea level. It has an imposing traditional Chinese style and is divided into nine stories. Visitors can climb to the top, where they have a magnificent view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
The building in front of the pagoda was used as a rest house by President Chiang. It was designed by the Highway Bureau at the same time as the pagoda, and its design was modified by President Chiang himself. It was completed in January 1971, and became one of the late president's favorite places to visit.
This trail is about 700m in length, and leads to the Pagoda. If one visits this area in the right season, one will find that this site is the perfect spot for watching fireflies. Black-Winged Firefly (luciola gorhami ritsema) makes its annual appearance in late April through to early May; and the "Mountain Firefly" (Lychnuris praetexta) can also be seen here during the months of October and November.
