Design of the 2011 Taiwan Lantern Festival’s main lantern, the Jade Rabbit, revealed

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications stated that this year’s lantern has also been certified through the “100th Anniversary of the Republic of China – Taiwan Design Year” certification event organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The main lantern has been named “Jade Rabbit Brings Auspiciousness” by Professor Zeng Yongyi from Shih Hsin University. The design, production, and exhibition of the main lantern were undertaken by the team at Yaojin Co., Ltd. The design concept is based on the Formosan hare—also known as the “Arctic hare”—and carries the symbolic imagery of “the Jade Rabbit bringing auspiciousness, presenting splendor, praying for blessings, welcoming spring, and ushering in prosperity.”

This year’s Jade Rabbit design features the rabbit wearing wireless headphones, a vest, and holding a gold ingot, symbolizing the presentation of auspiciousness and the gathering of wealth. In terms of the overall lighting effect of the main lantern, in addition to combining modern technology with traditional culture, innovative technological thinking has been introduced. Using the art of light craftsmanship, the lantern is sculpted to achieve an effect unlike any before. Aside from utilizing holographic film lighting effects developed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute, to align with the global green and eco-friendly trend, the latest high-tech energy-saving LEDs and high-efficiency energy-saving light sources have been employed. This showcases the world’s first giant artistic lantern designed and created with LED light sources and digitally controlled through technology. Additionally, the Tourism Bureau commissioned Professor Huang Xinzai from the National Taiwan University of Arts to compose the musical score for the main lantern’s performance. Coordinated with the six-step lighting ceremony, it blends traditional Chinese music, orchestral music, Taiwanese folk tunes, and local Hakka ballads from Miaoli, presenting a festive, joyous, vibrant, abundant, and locally distinctive New Year scene.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China, and the mini lantern is the “Flying Rabbit Baby.” Its design is a cartoon rabbit riding a colorful parachute, wearing goggles and a shirt adorned with vibrant flowers, with butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and ladybugs fluttering around. Combining all these adorable elements, and to depict the dynamic motion of a joyful jumping rabbit, the new-style handle is designed with interlocking paper cuts for flexibility. It is not only a handheld mini lantern but can also be hung up as an adorable wind chime-like ornament.