Artisans in Beigang craft distinctive lanterns weaving Yunlin–Chiayi history

Wu Dengxing, a lantern artisan from Beigang Township, was commissioned by Chiayi City Government to create a lantern titled “Chiayi City,” themed around the area’s famous historical sites, which will be displayed at this year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival. The lantern will connect the histories of Yunlin and Chiayi through two imperial plaques: the “Taiyang Xianyou” plaque gifted by Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty to Chiayi’s Chenghuang Temple, and the “Ci Yun Sa Run” plaque from Beigang’s Chaotian Temple.

This year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held in Chiayi County. To promote its tourist attractions, Chiayi City Government invited Wu Dengxing from Beigang to create a special lantern incorporating elements such as Chenghuang Temple, Zhuloshan, Guiyi Forest Life Village, and the KANO baseball story. On the 18th, Chiayi City Government conducted an inspection and spoke highly of the quality of the lantern.

Wu Dengxing explained that Chenghuang Temple, located within Chiayi City, is an important national historic site and a center of faith. In the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1886), during a severe drought in Chiayi, prayers for rain were answered, leading to the emperor bestowing the “Taiyang Xianyou” plaque. This plaque complements the “Ci Yun Sa Run” plaque from Beigang’s Chaotian Temple, with the historical event recorded in the “Dezong’s Daily Record” housed in the National Palace Museum.

Wu Dengxing also noted that during the Japanese colonial period, Chiayi City showcased the glory of Taiwan’s baseball hub. The KANO baseball team made it to the Koshien Stadium in the 6th year of the Showa era (1931), stunning Japan and earning the reputation of “Heroes’ Battlefield, Taiwan’s Farmers.” Their story was later adapted into a film, becoming a well-known symbol of Taiwanese spirit.

Chiayi City is the starting point of the Alishan Forest Railway, which during the Japanese colonial period transported timber, but today brings visitors to enjoy the scenic beauty. The recently popular “Guiyi Forest Life Village,” a key representative of the revitalized former forestry dormitories managed by the Forestry Bureau, along with the coexistence of Chiayi City’s old and new cultural elements, will all be presented through the lantern at the Taiwan Lantern Festival.