When Taiwan was ruled by Japan, they made many changes. The first power plants were built in 1934. It was being built for 15 years and the project began in 1919. The Jiji Line railroad was built to help the construction of the power plants. Lalu Island was renamed "Jade Island". The Japanese built a large dam in 1931 that made the lake much bigger. In 1946, the new Chinese government renamed the lake "Kuanghua Island". The name stayed that way until the 921 earthquake in 1999 that damaged the island. After the earthquake, the island was renamed Lalu Island. It was renamed because the Taiwanese government wanted to help preserve the Thao culture.