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The Centennial National Day Lantern Festival kicks off today

Published: 2026-09-25 👁 100 views

Last updated 2026-09-25 — The first festive event of the Centennial National Day—“2011 Taiwan Lantern Festival”—officially began today (the 15th day of the first lunar month) at Zhunan Toufen Sports Park in Miaoli County, with President Ma presiding over the lighting ceremony, marking the start of a 12-day exhibition. The...

The first festive event of the Centennial National Day—“2011 Taiwan Lantern Festival”—officially began today (the 15th day of the first lunar month) at Zhunan Toufen Sports Park in Miaoli County, with President Ma presiding over the lighting ceremony, marking the start of a 12-day exhibition. The rabbit-shaped main lantern of the festival was sponsored by Chunghwa Telecom, standing 20.5 meters tall and weighing a total of 30 metric tons. It is named “Jade Rabbit Bringing Auspiciousness.”

This year’s Centennial National Day Lantern Festival is rich with the local flavor of Miaoli. (Photo provided by the Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, ROC)

The Jade Rabbit holds an ingot marked with the logo “Republic of China 'Brilliant 100',” and the lighting effects use the artistry of light craftsmanship to sculpt the main lantern in a way that differs from previous editions. With a concept that combines green environmentalism and energy conservation, the lantern showcases a giant digital art lantern using high-tech energy-saving LEDs and highly efficient light sources. Four auxiliary lanterns, created by lantern artists using traditional lantern-making techniques, reflect the festival theme and tourism significance, presenting massive composite lanterns themed “Tung Blossom Phoenix,” “Crane Standing in Harmony,” “Heaven Bestows Auspiciousness,” and “Auspicious Dragon Offering Fortune (Flying Dragon in the Sky).”

This year’s lantern zones also incorporate local characteristics of Miaoli. For example, the design concept of the lantern-lighting stage incorporates the natural landscape feature of Miaoli’s tung blossom and outlines the stage base with the silhouette of a Hakka-style house, highlighting the strong Hakka mountain-town essence of Miaoli. The light environment of the lantern festival venue is conceived with four environmental elements—“Mountain City, Tung Blossom, Butterfly Shadows, and Centennial Celebrations”—creating a dynamic effect of undulating mountain ranges and fluttering butterfly shadows, connecting all the lantern zones.

This year’s main lantern, the Jade Rabbit, stands 20.5 meters tall and weighs 30 metric tons. (Photo provided by the Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, ROC)

The performances on the opening day include acts by the Chuanliantang Variety Troupe, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Miaoli County Asia-Pacific Institute of Creative Technology, Kaohsiung Municipal Chinese Arts School, the Dragon Dance Folk Art Team from Miaoli County National Zhuolan Experimental High School, the Ten Drums Percussion Group, the Zhu Zongqing Ensemble, as well as the Japanese YOSAKOI performance team, showcasing a diverse range of cultural content. The performances will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on February 17 with a parade, followed by large-scale shows at the main stage of the venue. After the performances, the official lantern-lighting ceremony will commence, featuring a main lantern show and a subsequent aerial fireworks display. The lantern festival will continue until 10:30 p.m. on February 28.