Original picture on which Nanhu Mountain illustration is based (copyright: Chen Ping-yuan)
Nanhu Mountain
With an elevation of 3,742m, Nanhu Mountain is one of the five highest mountains in Taiwan (the others being Mount Jade, Xueshan, Xiuguluan Mountain, and North Dawu Mountain). Nanhu Mountain is located inside Taroko National Park. The mountain is mainly composed of clay slate formed during the tertiary age. The alpine tundra environment of Nanhu Mountain is rare in subtropical Taiwan.
The region is rich in indigenous or endangered flora and fauna, including Nakotaizan epilobium, Astragalus nankotaizanensis, Cypripedium macranthum, the Formosan Black Bear, and the Formosan Sambar Deer. High mountains in Taiwan tend to have multiple gorges and peaks, and Nanhu Mountain’s main and eastern peaks form two wide, U-shaped valleys that are a natural geological wonder.