2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin: A Complete Guide to Both Major Lantern Zones

Text and photos byDouglas Fang

The 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival will commence on February 7, 2017. This year’s event in Yunlin features two major lantern zones: the Huwei Main Lantern Zone and the Beigang Lantern Zone. Please note that the starting times for the Huwei Main Lantern Zone and the Beigang Lantern Zone are different. The Huwei Main Lantern Zone is situated in the Nongbo Ecological Park near the Yunlin HSR Station, operating from February 11 to 19, for a duration of nine days. Meanwhile, the Beigang Lantern Zone runs from February 7 to 19, spanning 13 days.

2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin – Festival Theme

The slogan for this year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin is“2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin – Auspicious Rise”. The slogan “Auspicious Rise” plays on the homophonic sounds of “chicken” (鸡) and “auspicious” (吉), aiming to bring a joyful and lucky atmosphere for the New Year. Additionally, the chicken symbolizes diligence, representing the hard work of the people of Yunlin who cultivate the fertile land. “Auspicious Rise” embodies the spirit of the people of Yunlin rising with the crow of the rooster to work diligently, while “Cloud Soar” signifies their ambitious and uplifting aspirations. Built upon the region’s simple yet rich local culture, the 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival showcases the most creative display yet.

This year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival takes place in two main locations: Beigang and Huwei. The Huwei Main Lantern Zone is located in the Yunlin HSR Special Zone and the Nongbo Ecological Park. Beigang, as the birthplace of the lantern festival, holds special significance for hosting the event. Over the past few years, Beigang has also organized its own lantern festivals. This year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival is structured around three core themes: Friendly Earth, Multiculturalism, and Lantern Festival Homeland. From these three main themes, six extended themes emerge: Sustainable Living, Our Hometown, Puppetry Through the Ages, Hundred-Meter Art Palanquins, Religious Blessings, and Artisan Splendor.

Through these three core themes and six extended themes, the festival aims to highlight Yunlin’s natural ecology, green energy technology, diverse ethnic groups, folk culture, traditional crafts, and religious beliefs. By blending traditional cultural artistry with technological creativity, and integrating concepts of green energy and environmental sustainability, the event seeks to showcase Yunlin’s unique local culture on an international lantern festival stage.

This year’s main lantern, named “Phoenix in Majestic Flight” by Academician Tseng Yung-yi of Academia Sinica, features the design of a phoenix soaring with its head held high. It depicts the phoenix descending atop a mountain peak and spreading its wings as it takes flight across the sky, symbolizing Taiwan’s journey into a new era.

The lantern festival’s handheld lanterns are also distinct from previous years, with two different designs introduced. As detailed on the official 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin website: The year 2017 marks the 106th year of the Republic of China and the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese zodiac. The country’s grandest Lantern Festival celebration, the Taiwan Lantern Festival, will be held in Yunlin County. The chicken is the only avian among the twelve zodiac animals and one of the few that lays eggs. For the first time ever, this year’s small lantern ingeniously combines the shapes of both a “chicken” and an “egg,” incorporating the concept of “the chicken comes from the egg, and the egg comes from the chicken” into its design. This results in a playful lantern that is both egg and chicken.

To create a lantern that can be transformed into either a chicken or an egg, its neck, legs, and tail are all connected to the body with joints that allow folding and unfolding. The wings are also designed to be insertable upside-down into the chicken’s body, enabling a perfectly compact folded form. Kids can now enjoy a mini “Transformer” experience with their Lantern Festival lanterns. The lantern handle is designed with dual straps at the front and back. When children lift the lantern, slight up-and-down movement causes the wings to flap, and gentle front-to-back swinging makes the chick appear to peck for food on the ground.

2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin – Transportation Information

The main lantern zone of this year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin is located near the Yunlin HSR Station, within the HSR Special Zone and the Nongbo Ecological Park. However, the surrounding roads are not very wide, so severe traffic congestion is almost inevitable once the festival begins. Below is a summary of routes and related information for driving yourself or using public transportation.

◆ Self-Driving and Parking Information

For those coming from out of town to Huwei, the main routes are via two national highways. Among them, National Freeway No. 1’s Huwei Interchange, being closest to the lantern zone, is predictably the most congested. To avoid traffic jams, consider using other interchanges:

National Freeway No. 1 can be accessed via the Sihluo, Huwei, and Douliu interchanges

National Freeway No. 3 can be accessed via the Gukeng System (transfer to Provincial Highway 78 to reach Huwei or Douliu) and the Linnei-Douliu interchanges

National Freeway No. 1 Sihluo Interchange (230): After exiting, take Provincial Highway 1 toward Dalin-Douliu, then turn right onto County Highway 145 heading toward the Yunlin HSR Station
National Freeway No. 1 Huwei Interchange (235): After exiting, take County Highway 145 toward the Yunlin HSR Station
National Freeway No. 1 Douliu Interchange (240): After exiting, take County Highway 158 toward Huwei. When you reach Section 1 of Lin Sen Road, turn right onto County Highway 145, then head toward the Yunlin HSR Station. Turn right onto Xuefu Road when you reach it
National Freeway No. 3 Gukeng System Interchange (269): After exiting, take Freeway No. 78 toward Huwei. Exit at the Huwei/Tuku Interchange, then turn right to enter downtown Huwei. Take County Highway 145 toward the Yunlin HSR Station. Turn right onto Xuefu Road when you reach it
National Freeway No. 3 Douliu Interchange (260): After exiting, head toward downtown Douliu via Provincial Highway 3. Turn right at the intersection of Mingde North Road and Wenhua Road, then cross the University Overpass to Xiping Road. Turn toward Dalin, then left onto County Highway 145 toward the Yunlin HSR Station

◆ Public Transportation

High-Speed Rail: You can take the high-speed rail from either the north or the south to the Yunlin HSR Station or the Chiayi HSR Station. After arrival, take the free shuttle bus to the lantern festival.

Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA): You can take the train from the north or the south to either the Douliu Railway Station or the Douliu South Railway Station. After arrival, take the free shuttle bus to the lantern festival.

Bus
*Rite-Shuttle Bus / To Beigang Lantern Zone: Routes 7001, 7007 / Phone: 05-5326167
*Unified Bus / To Beinan Light Zone: 1633, 1650, 1651 / Tel: 0800-241650
*Taihsi Bus / To Beinan Light Zone: 9015 / Tel: 05-6322284
*Taichung Bus / To Beinan Light Zone: 9015 / Tel: 0800-800126
*Chiayi Bus / Tel: 05-2750895
*City Buses /Click here for more details

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
Click here for more details

◆ Transfer Information

This year's Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin is divided into two major light zones. The organizing body, Yunlin County Government, has also arranged shuttle services between the two zones. In addition to free shuttle buses from Douliu and Dounan train stations, there are also dedicated shuttles available from Chiayi City & County as well as Changhua County to the festival site. For local residents of Yunlin, each township and city has organized exclusive shuttle buses to the lantern displays, though advance registration is required. Aside from parking near the festival grounds, shuttle services are also available from selected parking lots — make good use of them.

Click here for detailed transfer information

◆ Parking Information

Parking information and location map for the Huwei Main Light Zone

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Parking information and location map for the Beinan Light Zone

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2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin – Festival Map

This year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin is on an unprecedented scale, featuring two light zones spanning a total of 50 hectares — the largest ever. It showcases 3,000 lanterns. At the Huwei Main Light Zone, besides the main lantern display, there are additional zones such as the New Residents’ Lantern Area and the Religious Blessings Lantern Area.

2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin – Nearby Food and Attractions

When visiting Yunlin to enjoy the Taiwan Lantern Festival, don’t just focus on the lights. Be sure to explore some of Yunlin’s scenic spots and local snacks. The official website of the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin also offers several recommended travel routes for your reference.

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In addition to the routes, attractions, and food spots recommended by the Taiwan Lantern Festival’s official website, I’ve also compiled a list of Yunlin’s local delicacies and attractions to help you experience the region’s culture and cuisine while enjoying the lantern displays.

Since I’m originally from Douliu, I’ve put together a Douliu Food Map featuring all the restaurants and street food stalls I’ve visited. Most of the listed spots are places I frequently go to and highly recommend. While you’re enjoying the lanterns, don’t miss out on Douliu’s delicious food.

For those transferring via public transport and making a stop in Douliu, consider visiting Douliu Roundabout. Currently, the roundabout near Douliu Railway Station is hosting a Light Art Festival featuring numerous lantern artworks. The Douliu Light Art Festival started on January 23rd as a prelude to the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Yunlin.

Douglas Fang – Exploring the World with Me ___ Food Discovery × Attraction Exploration × Visual Documentation