By MOOK Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi, compiled and reported
The Taipei Lantern Festival has been held around the National Father Memorial Hall, Civic Plaza, and the Taipei City Hall area for five years. In 2013, the Taipei Lantern Festival will be held for the first time in the "Fine Arts and Yuanshan Park" areas of the Taipei Expo Park. The event will run from February 21, 102 (2013), to March 3, lasting 11 days. Additionally, the "Sea of Happiness Lights" on Zhongshan North Road will be lit earlier, starting from February 6, 102 (2013), to build up a festive atmosphere for the Lunar New Year and attract holiday tourists.
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The shops along Zhongshan North Road tell the story of Taipei’s transformation from the Japanese colonial period to the present. (Photo provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
Starting February 6, 102 (2013), Taipei City will set up a 2,900-meter-long “Sea of Lights Tunnel” along the central median strips of Sections 1 to 3 of Zhongshan North Road. Huang Lü-jin-ju, Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, said that Zhongshan North Road has a long history and carries the collective memories of many modern-day Taipei residents as well as immigrants from Japan, the United States, and Southeast Asia. It is rich in humanistic stories — from the Tiaotong business district, which retains unique food culture dating back to the Japanese colonial period, to the Shuangcheng business district, which introduced American drinking culture during the U.S. military presence in Taipei, and to the supermarkets and restaurants that have gradually developed alongside the influx of foreign laborers due to the opening of northern ports, reflecting Southeast Asian consumption patterns. With its vibrant blend of international cultural elements and a microcosm of Taipei’s modern urban development, Zhongshan North Road was chosen as the prime location for the 2013 Taipei Lantern Festival light displays. A variety of colorful lanterns rich in traditional festive spirit will be paired with local historical elements to create a “Sea of Happiness Lights.”
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