By MOOK Travel Life Net / Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The "2014 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival" features the towering 15-foot-tall giant panda lantern "Roundy," which the New Taipei City Government Tourism Bureau says will be launched on February 14, Valentine’s Day/Lantern Festival, at Pingxi Shifen Square.
The cute Roundy sky lantern will be released during the Lantern Festival. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Government Tourism Bureau)
Chen Kuo-chun, Director of New Taipei City Tourism Bureau, said that the giant panda "Roundy Lantern" stands 4.5 meters tall, with a head width of 2 meters and waist width of 3.5 meters. The design is inspired by the ultra-popular, healing "cute" icon — Roundy. This marks a groundbreaking innovation in sky lantern design and production. Due to its massive size and unique shape, unlike the traditional sky lantern's Kongming lantern form, the internal structure of "Roundy Lantern" required special reinforcement to maintain symmetry and balance, especially as it had to be made entirely by hand — a high challenge for lantern craftsmen. On the evening of February 14, this giant panda "Roundy Lantern" will ascend gracefully from Shifen Square.
The Tourism Bureau stated that the first blessing lantern event successfully concluded on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year (February 3), and there are two more major sky lantern events to come — one this Saturday (February 8) and another on Lantern Festival (February 14). The second event, themed "Lighting Hope, Touching the World," will feature 6-foot-tall lanterns printed with images of eight protected Taiwanese animals: the Taiwan blue magpie, Formosan black bear, sika deer, black-faced spoonbill, Formosan macaque, green sea turtle, cherry salmon, and great purple emperor butterfly. A massive 20-foot "Wish Collage Lantern" will also be released. This oversized lantern is covered with well-wishes written in languages from around the world, including a romantic marriage proposal penned by one hopeful lover — a touching and amusing touch.
The third event, "Hand in Hand for Reunion. Love Takes Flight," coincides with both Lantern Festival and Valentine’s Day. The Tourism Bureau says that in addition to the "Roundy Lantern," 200 heart-shaped lanterns will be released, along with 1,314 warm chocolate treats for attendees to enjoy.
To ensure smooth access to the "2014 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival" venues, comprehensive traffic control will be enforced from 9:00 AM to midnight on both event days. No vehicles (including motorcycles) will be allowed entry during these times — please do not drive yourself. Traffic control points include the intersection of Provincial Highway 106 and 106B at Shuangxi Kou, the area in front of the Shiding Fort Tunnel on Highway 106B, Zhuangjing Bridge, the entrance and exit of Shifen Scenic Area, the entrance before Ping-Shuang Tunnel (entrance to Shuangxi Mana Villa), and the intersection of Ruiping Highway and Dingping Highway (Ruifang Industrial Area).
It is recommended that the public use public transportation or shuttle buses to reach the event venues. Shuttle buses will depart from Taipei Zoo Muzha and Ruifang Railway Station, starting at 9:00 AM on the day of the event. Buses heading up the mountain will run until 7:00 PM, while those returning will operate until 11:30 PM, running in continuous loops. Alternatively, you can take the Pingxi Branch Line train and get off at the event station, then walk about 10 minutes to reach the venue. For detailed shuttle bus stops and train schedules, please visit the official event website: "2014 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival."
To allow more people to share in the joy and peace of sky lanterns, the "New Taipei Travelers" Facebook fan page is hosting a "Love That Lasts Forever – Hope to Fly" wish campaign. From now until February 23, fans who post their lifelong wishes on the "New Taipei Travelers" fan page will have a chance to win a NT$10,000 wish fulfillment grant or a small sky lantern keychain (200 winners). Those who make their wishes before February 7 will also be entered into a draw to win VIP lantern release spots at the February 14 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival (10 spots available).
● Related Reading:
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival Unveils "Treasure Lantern"; "Wish Lantern" Event Launches at Pingxi Junior High School
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