The adorable 2018 Taipei Lantern Festival "Happy GO GO" Year of the Dog mini lantern makes a timely debut

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported     

The "Happy GO GO" mini lantern is designed based on the bold and fearless spirit of the Taiwanese dog. Its movable limbs allow it to stand or sit, vividly showcasing the cute appearance of the Taiwanese dog. Mini lantern designers Hong Shin-fu and Chang Chia-lu mentioned that if you look closely, you’ll notice small silhouettes of Taipei 101, natural mountains and forests, and century-old temples on the lantern, representing the iconic images of Taipei through the ages.

This year’s mini lantern also features a new attempt—an DIY painting version—but it’s limited to all first-grade elementary school students in Taipei City only. This DIY painting version of the "Happy GO GO" mini lantern will be distributed by the Taipei City Government Education Bureau to all first-grade public and private elementary school students in Taipei City, one per student. It closely integrates school curriculum with seasonal festivities and serves as a celebratory gift for first-graders as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

This year’s mini lantern designer, paper-cutting artist Hong Shin-fu, happened to also be the designer of the 2006 Taipei Lantern Festival mini lanterns. Back then, he pioneered a unique paper-cut lantern craft for the festival, which quickly became a trend. This year, he takes on the challenge of designing the Year of the Dog mini lantern again, using the Taiwanese dog as inspiration and incorporating the dog's simple-hearted and affectionate charm into the lantern design.