A Sea of Lights, Fireworks & Peace Lantern Festival – Spectacular Light Art & Cutting-Edge Tech for Blessings & New Year

By / Scenic Spots Home Fresh (compiled & reported)
 
Foguangshan launched its Peace Lantern Buddhist Ceremony for the 2020 Lunar New Year, hosting a month-long lantern festival from January 25 to February 22, 2020. It was one of the 2020 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival series events, alongside those in Gangshan, Qishan, and Linyuan.

Foguangshan first held the Buddhist temple New Year’s “Peace Lantern Buddhist Ceremony” in 1980, a pioneering event in the Buddhist community. Maintaining this tradition for 40 years, and with increasingly diverse and innovative use of fireworks and cutting-edge light technology, it has in recent years become one of the key events for photography enthusiasts.

With the theme “Spreading the Path Across the World, Blessing All Humanity,” Foguangshan introduced novel experiences such as drones, bell-ringing, fireworks, and interactive light art, allowing visitors to witness technology at Foguangshan and joyfully welcome the New Year together.

The four major themes of the 2020 lantern festival were “Spreading the Path, Increasing Wisdom & Blessings,” “Blessing All Humanity, Promoting Goodness & Beauty,” “Tech-Savvy Spring Tour & Lantern Fun,” and “Delicious Vegetarian Food for All to Enjoy.” Blending tradition with modernity, through lighting lamps, bell-ringing, lantern viewing, and gourmet food, it also featured the Buddhist community’s first-ever drone high-altitude light offering, AI-powered giant screens, interactive light art, and more, combining technology with Buddhist teachings.

Additionally, the park features various lantern displays, photography exhibitions, the “Three Goodness Carnival” with dance parades, the Lantern-Carrying Festival, and the Foguang Avenue Night Market, making for a rich and diverse program of activities.