Taipei Lantern Festival Showcases Urban Aesthetics with Rooster Year Mini Lanterns

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department

The 2017 Taipei Lantern Festival, themed “WESTSIDE STORY, TAIPEI GLORY,” spans nine days, sharing more of the glorious history and stories of Taipei’s West District. This year’s main performance area will be set up around Ximen MRT Station, presenting the characteristics of the Ximen street block through the concept of a street theater. Both the opening and closing ceremonies will be held here, creating a cross-boundary spectacular that combines urban aesthetics with audiovisual art.

This year, renowned fashion designer and acclaimed as the first Chinese pop culture aesthetic artist, No2Good, was invited to design this area. No2Good shared that he is a Shizihou kid who grew up, studied, and pursued his dreams in Taipei, holding deep affection for Ximending. The overall design of the main performance area incorporates fashion and trend elements from Ximending, and he revealed plans to create a distinctive character to leave a lasting impression on both domestic and international visitors.

Additionally, Olympic table tennis athlete Jiang Hongjie was specially invited to star in an endorsement video for the Taipei Lantern Festival. The video uses the constant stream of notifications in modern life to introduce the festival’s “light gag,” garnering over 10,000 views within a single night. Jiang Hongjie will also attend the opening ceremony of the Taipei Lantern Festival and visit the Universiade interactive experience zone (gashapon corner), joining visitors in experiencing this unique lantern area.

Besides the main performance area, along Section 1 of Zhonghua Road, there are various themed lantern zones including the indispensable lantern riddles activity, the highly interactive “Universiade Interaction Zone,” the festive “Landscape Creation Zone,” the happiness-incubating “Wishing Lantern Zone,” the youthful and vibrant “Student Creation Zone,” and the light art-focused “Free Creation Zone.” There will also be light projection shows at Beimen and Zhongshan Hall.

The much-anticipated Rooster Year mini lantern, “Dancing Magical Rooster,” features an exquisitely crafted design with a unique pendulum-based center of gravity structure that sways back and forth with movement, showcasing rhythm and vitality. The handle is designed in the shape of Beimen, symbolizing a little chick hatched from Beimen. The Rooster Year mini lanterns will be available for the public to collect just before the start of the Taipei Lantern Festival.