Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held from February 11 to 19, with two main light zones located at the Huwei Agricultural Exposition Ecological Park, various areas around Yunlin High-Speed Rail Station, and Beigang Chaotian Temple. This year’s main lantern “Phoenix Coming in Full Splendor” stands 23 meters tall and will make its debut at 7 PM on the night of the Lantern Festival, rising with its head held high and wings spread, symbolizing Taiwan’s flight into a new era. After the official lighting ceremony, there will be one main lantern show per hour on the hour and at half past, with the event running until 10 PM on February 19.
The main lantern design of “Phoenix Coming in Full Splendor” is unveiled. (Photo source / Yunlin County Government)
The main lantern design pioneers the use of a lighting circuit system with over 19,000 channels, outfitting the interior of the lantern with full-color LEDs, and incorporating eco-friendly sugarcane crystal particles as material—allowing viewers to enjoy ever-changing lights from any angle. The phoenix’s eyes are inlaid with more than 200 large crystals, crafting a one-of-a-kind main lantern for the 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival.
To welcome the arrival of the 2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival, Yunlin County Government has created a total of 50 hectares of themed light zones across the Huwei and Beigang areas, featuring 20 unique themes. Examples include the nation’s first “New Residents Light Zone” showcasing the cultures of five Southeast Asian countries, the “Environmental Theater” highlighting the harmony between humans and nature, the “Hundred-Meter Art Carriage” displaying Yunlin’s traditional lantern charm, and the “Puppet Drama Through the Ages” featuring an 8-meter-tall movable puppet of Su Zhenzhen and Luo Hou. In Beigang—the hometown of traditional lantern art—there are also light zones at the Tourist Bridge, Shuitou, and Gaotan areas, recreating exquisite works by veteran lantern artists.
The “Happy Miracle Chicken” mini lantern is very popular among children. (Photo source / Yunlin County Government)
This year’s mini lantern, “Happy Miracle Chicken,” was personally introduced by designer Lin Jiawei. Unlike anything before, it comes in two shapes: “chicken” and “egg.” The mini lantern features movable and foldable necks, legs, and tails, and its wings can even be reversed and inserted into the chicken body, allowing children to switch their lantern between “chicken” and “egg” freely. Starting from 3 PM daily from February 11 (Lantern Festival) to February 19, the mini lanterns will be given out at the Huwei main lantern zone and Beigang light zone, limited to one per person on a first-come, first-served basis. Quantities are limited and will be distributed until supplies last.
It is recommended that the public make use of high-speed rail, regular trains, and public transportation to enjoy the lantern displays with ease, avoiding traffic jams and immersing themselves in a joyous, colorful, and exciting Lantern Festival celebration.
【Info】
2017 Taiwan Lantern Festival
Huwei Main Lantern Zone: February 11–19
Beigang Lantern Zone: February 7–19
Top Spring Festival Flower Tourism Pick – Yunlin Flower Sea Festival Makes a Colorful Debut
》http://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=14594