Taipei Lantern Festival is here！The mini lantern "Xi Mei" welcomes the New Year with joy

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team

The 2015 Taipei Lantern Festival officially began on February 14, starting with the "Love 'Embrace the Sea of Lights'" display along Zhongshan North Road Sections 2-3. The main exhibition took place from February 27 to March 8 at the Taipei Expo Park's Yuanshan site, offering a 10-day lantern art extravaganza.The most anticipated mini lanterns for both kids and adults were officially unveiled at Taipei City Hall on the 28th. Featuring a magical blend of pink and purple hues, a chubby belly, sparkling eyes, a cute nose, and a soft, fluffy texture, these small lanterns exude charm. From March 1 to March 2, starting at 1 PM, they will appear across 12 districts in Taipei. For the first time, the Taipei Expo Park's Yuanshan site will extend the distribution period to five days, handing out lanterns from March 1 to 5 at the Long Corridor Plaza. Wishing everyone a joyful year ahead.

This year’s Taipei Lantern Festival mini lantern "Xi Mei" features a magical and vibrant pink-purple color scheme, evoking the feeling of a night sky. Its most distinctive element is the overall structure. Designer Hong Xin-Fu and his team creatively applied traditional folk puppet-making techniques to paper art, crafting an innovative mini lantern with flexible, movable limbs. As the handle sways, it transforms into a lively, leaping sheep running with joy. Beyond its unexpected dynamic movement, the articulated joints greatly enhance the lantern's versatility. "Xi Mei" can stand, sit, do handstands, or dash about, breaking the single-pose limitation of traditional zodiac lanterns. Kids can choose their favorite "Xi Mei" based on their mood and preferences to celebrate the New Year together.