Puli’s ‘Ghost Lake’ a place of legend, beauty

Puli’s ‘Ghost Lake’ a place of legend, beauty

2024-05-27

Malinku in Nantou’s Puli Township, also known as Ghost Lake, has turned turquoise in recent weeks thanks to spring rains. When viewed from above, the tapered oval pool looks like a teardrop, earning it the additional nickname“Angel’s Tear.”

From above, this jade green lake looks just like a tear fallen amid a vast forest.

This teardrop is the lake Malinku in Nantou’s Puli Township, also known as Puli’s very own “Angel’s Tear.” The spring rains have recently turned it turquoise.

Visitor
The water here is so clear. It changes color every season.

Visitor
It used to always be foggy around here. Some soldiers told me not to go or I’ll see a ghost.

There are a lot of old legends about this place. In the language of the Indigenous Pingpu people it’s called “Moling,” meaning “inauspicious place.” It’s also said to have been a battleground during the Japanese colonial era.

Thanks to these scary stories and its desolation, it is often called “Ghost Lake.”

Pan Chi-hsien
Historian
The villagers have a lot of folk tales and ban fishing there. They believe there are evil spirits living in the lake. At night it’s said you can hear a woman crying. There are also a few accidents every year, including drownings.

Despite the lore surrounding it, this visit to Malinku was punctuated by a family of ducks playing in the water. Its perennial beauty also provides a place of rest for residents.

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