The Taiwan Lantern Festival is held yearly on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year (元宵; Yuan Xiao), or Chap Goh Mei as we name it in Singapore.
The competition is a serious showcase of Taiwan’s wealthy cultural heritage and hospitality and is hosted by a unique metropolis in Taiwan every year, with capital metropolis Taipei enjoying hostest with the mostest this yr.
This yr’s lantern competition is additional special- it’s the first large-scale celebratory occasion open to worldwide guests since Taiwan absolutely reopened to vacationers in October 2022.
Coming out of a 3 yr international pandemic, the competition is sort of a large buoyant occasion to have fun Taiwan’s return to normalcy.
Celebrating the theme “Light Up the Future,” the competition will illuminate Taipei till 19 February with a whole bunch of gigantic lantern shows and pop-ups throughout varied places, from Taipei’s East District, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Xinyi Commercial District, to Taipei 101, bathing the entire metropolis in a celebratory and optimistic ambiance.
The lantern shows are intricately designed and mix components from conventional Chinese legends, folktales, and cultural motifs with expertise.
This yr’s showstopper lantern, the 22-meter-tall “Brilliant Light of the Jade Hare,” is positioned on the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The robotic rabbit in an area go well with is impressed by Taiwan’s cutting-edge semiconductor trade.
Fun truth: The rabbit’s facial expressions are based mostly on Taiwan Olympic gold medalist weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun, captured utilizing efficiency seize expertise. Be positive to catch the rabbit come alive in a musical mild present that can happen each half-hour!
See Taipei’s landmarks, buildings and alleyways illuminated in spellbinding colors within the night time. It is gorgeous strolling round Taipei in February given the cool and delicate climate.
Photos above courtesy of the Taipei City Government.
Free items
In conjunction with the Lantern competition, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has organized at no cost items for vacationers resembling a DIY rabbit lantern and fresh-cut fruits. Find extra info on the Taiwan Tourism Bureau web site.
Missing this yr’s Taiwan Lantern Festival? Look out for subsequent yr’s!
If you might be unable to go to the Taiwan Lantern Festival this yr, you’ll be able to all the time stay up for the subsequent one. Heads up that the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival can be held in Tainan!
Check out the Taiwan Lantern Festival in earlier years:
2023 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taipei
5- 19 February 2023
Official web site: https://tw-light.taipei/en