Giant themed lanterns take flight at iconic Taiwan-Japan attractions: The 2017 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival lights up the sky with warmth

▲People release sky lanterns together. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)

Reported and photographed by Jiayun Yu / New Taipei Pingxi

Today (the 11th) marks the Lantern Festival, and the “2017 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival” grandly commenced at Shifen Square. On this festival symbolizing reunion and happiness, the lantern was jointly released by New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu, Mr. Makoto Numata, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (a public interest incorporated foundation) participating in the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival for the first time, and three deputy mayors of New Taipei City. The large main lantern, crafted by over a hundred children aged 6 to 12 from Shifen Elementary School in Pingxi District, New Taipei City, and Taipei Japanese School, vividly showcased ten popular attractions from both New Taipei City and Japan. The event also invited children from Taiwan and Japan to experience the joy of releasing sky lanterns together.

▲New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (center) and Mr. Makoto Numata, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (third from left), pose with the Taiwan-Japan exchange-themed main lantern. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)

▲The main lantern painted with famous sights from New Taipei and Japan. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)

This year’s Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival was held in two sessions for the first time, with the first session taking place on the Lantern Festival. During the festival, people from all over the world gathered at Shifen Square, receiving lanterns from staff and writing their wishes and blessings on them. This year’s lanterns also featured an innovative “clown lantern” design for the first time, with colorful mosaic patterns representing health, love, wealth, and other meanings, expressing hopes that all wishes could be fulfilled at once.

▲Students from the Tokyo Japanese School write their wishes on the lanterns.

▲Writing wishes and blessings in Japanese.

▲Releasing lanterns with friends.

▲Students from the Tokyo Japanese School experience the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival.

Although the weather was cold on the day of the 2017 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, it couldn’t dampen the public’s eager anticipation for the new year and new hopes. At the moment when people released their grip on the lanterns, all the lanterns slowly drifted into the sky, carrying wishes and blessings that ascended into the air. The scattered yellow lights instantly lit up Pingxi, creating a scene that was both heartwarming and touching.

▲Special clown lanterns used for the first time this year.

▲Lanterns ascending into the sky.

▲Illuminating the night sky of Pingxi.

▲Purple lanterns glowing with firelight.