The 21-meter-tall main lantern of the 2018 Taiwan Lantern Festival unveiled; the Year of the Dog mini lantern "Dali Dog" makes its debut

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported

The main lantern is sponsored by Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. As the zodiac animal for the year is the dog, it was named "Loyalty and Righteousness Innate" by Academician Tseng Yung-yi of the Academia Sinica. The design features the smiling face of an indigenous child and a loyal Taiwan dog standing atop the sea of clouds on Alishan, symbolizing looking back at the past, standing firm in the present, and gazing toward the future—showcasing Taiwan to the world and welcoming international tourists to visit.

This year’s main lantern was undertaken by Zhi Fang Art Co., Ltd., with the lantern standing 21 meters tall in total. In terms of overall lighting design, it will employ a brand-new 4D refraction method to showcase the effect of light grating sheets, using recyclable optical refraction sheets to increase light penetration by over 70%. Additionally, with more than 20,000 sets of lighting circuit systems, the full-color LED lights inside the main lantern will display over 12 million pixel colors. No matter from which angle the public views the main lantern, they can enjoy the ever-changing optical magic and beauty. To further innovate the main lantern’s features, this year also marks the first time an indigenous child waving and greeting action has been incorporated. During the main lantern performance, the public can feel the child waving and saying hello, spreading love and blessings with laughter, bringing even more delightful surprises to visitors during the 2018 Taiwan Lantern Festival.

The most anticipated mini lantern for children each year, this year named "Dali Dog," brings a lively and festive vibe with the theme "Prosperous Year, Go Happiness." Using a patchwork picture-book style, the mini lantern transforms Chiayi’s local mountains, sea, Alishan Forest Railway, indigenous totems, and the blue-and-white porcelain of the National Palace Museum Southern Branch into dazzling patterns on the dog’s body, making the mini lantern as cute and endearing as a toy. The handle is designed in the shape of a charming doghouse, and when gently shaken, it appears to happily run. Its adorable and playful appearance also includes paw-print cutouts on the dog’s belly. When children carry the lantern at night, dog footprints appear on the ground, as if walking and playing together with the puppy.

The 2018 Taiwan Lantern Festival incorporates Chiayi’s famous "23.5° North" concept, using a full-field projection lighting method for the first time to weave longitude and latitude beams across the sky, giving the light show a 3D stereoscopic feel. In coordination with the main lantern performance, the spectacular show extends across the entire lantern area. The lantern-lighting platform also uses dynamic displays to present the moving sunrise and sea of clouds over Alishan, integrating Chiayi’s local elements from mountains to sea, allowing the public to take in the most beautiful scenery of Chiayi. To innovate the lantern-viewing experience, interactive projection devices have been introduced, transforming into large-scale tech-inspired light orbs that can be enjoyed 360 degrees, creating a visual spectacle as if immersed in a galaxy. Additionally, to add depth to the Taiwan Lantern Festival, a cross-disciplinary collaboration with renowned artist Hong Yi has been undertaken, blending the festival with culture in the most beautiful way.