The main and handheld lanterns of the 2018 Taiwan Lantern Festival were unveiled by the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications Jan. 4 in Taipei City.
Standing 21 meters tall and boasting tens of thousands of light-emitting diode, or LED lights, the main lantern is designed to resemble a young boy from the Tsou tribe and his puppy. The former is a nod to the indigenous people inhabiting the festival’s host region Chiayi County in southern Taiwan, while the latter symbolizes the Year of the Dog in the Chinese zodiac.
The main lantern will be the center of a dazzling evening light and sound show every 30 minutes during the Feb. 16 to March 11 festival. It is set for official launch March 2, the 15th day of the first lunar month as part of Lunar New Year celebrations.
Equally impressive is the dog-shaped handheld lantern. Its colorful and eye-catching patterns represent many of Chiayi’s world-renowned tourism attractions such as Alishan Forest Railway and National Palace Museum’s Southern Branch. In addition, the underside of the lantern projects paw-shaped lights when illuminated.
The handheld lantern is expected to once again prove popular with young festivalgoers. Between 70,000 and 100,000 of the paper items will be distributed in front of Chiayi County Government HQ and Chiayi Bus Station during the event.
Taking place over 50 hectares at CCG square, NPM Southern Branch and Taizi Boulevard in Taibao City, the festival is expected notch up 20 million visits during its 24-day run. Last year’s edition in western Taiwan’s Yunlin County recorded over 13.6 million visits, according to the bureau.
Launched in Taipei 28 years ago, the annual festival has been held at a different location every year since 2001, allowing the cities and counties of Taiwan to show off their unique cultures and characteristics. It is one of the most popular attractions for tourists from home and abroad. (KWS-E)
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