Sleeping Moon Stone Monkey (Currently Closed). The Mianyue Line of the Alishan Forest Railway, 9.2 kilometers in length, opened in 1983, winding its way into the high mountains above 2,000 meters in altitude. The Mianyue Line of the Alishan Forest Railway, 9.2 kilometers in length, opened in 1983, winding its way into the high mountains above 2,000 meters in altitude. Its final station was the once-famous "Stone Monkey Recreation Area." The name "Stone Monkey" originated from a small hill next to the Mianyue Line's terminal station, where a pile of giant rocks, about 31 meters high and 9 meters in diameter, was once located. This pile of rocks resembled a macaque monkey squatting and gazing into the distance, hence it was called the "Stone Monkey." From another perspective, it also looked like Bodhidharma meditating, so it was also known as "Daruma Rock." After the Alishan Sacred Tree was artificially felled in 1997, the "Stone Monkey" area, due to its beautiful scenery and representativeness, was chosen as the landmark of Alishan. In August 1999, the Directorate General of Posts even selected the Stone Monkey as the postmark for the Alishan Scenic Area. However, less than two months later, the Mianyue railway line was severely damaged in the 921 earthquake and has not been fully repaired and reopened to traffic since. The head of the Stone Monkey also fell off during the earthquake, instantly shortening it by three to four meters. The entire landmark's appearance has completely changed, and it no longer resembles its original form. The Stone Monkey Recreation Area had previously suffered a forest fire. Afterward, because the smaller plants were burned away, only tall dead trunks of pine and fir trees remained. These fire-damaged logs, after a long...
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