The main lantern of the Taiwan Lantern Festival has made its appearance this year, with the event relocated to Lukang.

Written/compiled and reported by Li Xinyi

The Taiwan Lantern Festival has been listed by the Discovery Channel's TV special "Fantastic Festivals of the World" as one of the “world’s best festival events.” This world-class celebration will be held this year in Lukang Township, Changhua County. The main lantern of the “2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival,” named “Soaring Dragon Amidst Glorious Clouds,” stands over 20 meters in both height and span, and weighs a total of 40 metric tons, breaking the record for the largest main lantern in the festival’s history. To achieve energy-saving and carbon-reduction goals, all internal lighting consists of the latest high-tech energy-efficient LED lights, totaling more than 200,000 bulbs.

The “2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival” will officially inaugurate its main lantern at 7:00 p.m. on February 6 (Monday), which is the Lantern Festival. The main lantern will present a light show every half hour, and the festivities will continue until 10:30 p.m. on February 19 (Sunday). To encourage the public to use public transportation to visit the lantern displays, Changhua County Government has specially arranged shuttle buses from Taichung HSR Station, Changhua Railway Station, and Yuanlin Railway Station, allowing visitors to transfer directly to buses that go straight to Lukang.

Additionally, for those driving their own vehicles, parking is available at seven major parking lots around Lukang Township (with nearly 27,000 parking spaces). Visitors can then take shuttle buses into Lukang to enjoy the lantern displays. It is recommended that tourists plan a schedule of “exploring Changhua during the day and viewing the lanterns at night.”