The Chiayi Lantern Festival features a maze and gives away horse-year mini lanterns

▲ Large lantern at Xingang Fengtian Temple. (Photo/Mayor Huang Min-hui Facebook fan page)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

An extraordinary divine lantern festival in Chiayi!“2014 Divine Light Chiayi – Happiness is Here” prayer lantern festival will take place from the 8th to the 16th at the intersection of Minzu Road and Xinxing Road in Chiayi City (the former Taiwan Lantern Festival area), with trial lighting starting now. It invites the public to experience a unique Lantern Festival and Valentine’s Day, and to feel the true “illumination of Buddha’s light”; additionally, limited-edition horse-year mini lanterns will be given away.


▲ Large lantern featuring the God of Wealth and gold ingots. (Photo/Mayor Huang Min-hui Facebook fan page)

The lantern festival is divided into three major zones: the main “Divine Steed’s Magical ‘Maze’ Array” lantern zone, the “Divine Light Chiayi – All Gods Gather in Our Chiayi” zone, and the student creative painted lantern zone. The main lantern features horses representing the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—and is surrounded by a maze area that visitors must navigate to gradually approach the main lantern.

The “Divine Light Chiayi – All Gods Gather in Our Chiayi” zone is a large lantern area jointly presented by five temples including Xingang Fengtian Temple, featuring both solemn and cute-style divine lanterns. The student creative painted lantern zone displays works from local elementary and junior high school competitions, with over 600 creatively painted lanterns on exhibit.

Additionally, from the 8th to the 14th, 1,000 limited-edition horse-year mini lanterns will be given away. Visitors can pick them up at the event information desk during the activity period.