Pingxi Mini Trip Essay / Here, You’ll Always Rediscover That Familiar Yet Foreign “Courage”

By Shamo

The ascent of a sky lantern represents the endless continuation of hope. I’ve always felt that Pingxi is a place full of dreams; coming here feels like you can leave the past behind and start anew, from the heart.

I still remember in *You Are the Apple of My Eye* how Ko-Teng and Shen Chia-Yi, those two innocent kids, came to Pingxi to release sky lanterns, igniting memories they shared together. This is also a place where many Taiwanese people cherish beautiful memories.

Maybe we’re no longer young, and life is no longer as energetic as it was in our reckless youth. Whenever I find myself lost in the hustle and bustle of hectic days, I always think of Pingxi—and of those gentle yet powerful sky lanterns. Their flickering flames rise slowly, and though the glow they cast in our eyes may be so small, so small, it endures for so long, so long. Whenever I feel alone, I think of them.