By Liu Jiawen, compiled and reported
The Central Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held grandly at Wenshin Forest Park in Taichung City from February 1 to February 12. This year's main lantern, "Flying Dragon in the Clouds," is 40 meters long and 15 meters high, setting a record for the longest main lantern in the history of Taiwan’s lantern festivals. The small lanterns given out are also creatively designed as "little flying dragons" holding sun cakes and bubble tea, showcasing Taichung’s reputation as a food capital. The event also features an overseas lantern area, displaying large-scale lanterns from Hong Kong, Zigong in Sichuan, Xiamen, and other places. Additionally, to complement the lantern festival activities, an Art Week will be held from February 3 to 8 at the Fengyuan District Office Arts Square, featuring a giant two-story-tall ink-painted lantern jointly painted by 20 artists.
The small lantern given out at the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival is a "little flying dragon" holding a sun cake and bubble tea. (Photo provided by Taichung City Government)
By MOOK Traveler Yan Peijie, compiled and reported
Every year from August to September is the season when daylilies are in full bloom, and Liushitou Mountain in Fuli Township, Hualien County, is one of Taiwan’s three major daylily cultivation areas. When the flowering season arrives, the vast golden sea of flowers is like a carpet laid out for angels—spectacular and beautiful.
Daylily sea on Liushitou Mountain (Photo / East Rift Valley National Scenic Area)
This year’s main lantern show breaks tradition with a dynamic, freely swaying main lantern instead of a stationary rotating one. The entire dragon lantern comes to life with natural movements, enhanced by colored mist and sound effects, creating the illusion of swirling through clouds and mist—extremely eye-catching. The overseas lantern area displays large-scale lanterns from Hong Kong, Sichuan, Xiamen, and other regions. Among them, Hong Kong’s lanterns feature six differently designed themed dragons representing the area’s diverse culture. Zigong Lantern Festival in Sichuan contributed two lantern sets: “Jadeite Cabbage” and “Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity.” The “Jadeite Cabbage” is exquisitely crafted, using internal and refracted lighting to create a crystal-clear, luminous effect; “Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity” is meticulously woven from multicolored glass bottles, presenting a rich array of colors.
A hand-painted ink lantern, standing two stories tall and 3.3 meters wide, will be exhibited at the Fengyuan District Office Arts Square from February 3 to 8. (Photo provided by Fengyuan District Office, Taichung City)
Liushitou Mountain is located on the eastern side of Zhutian Village in Fuli Township, on the Coastal Mountain Range, at an altitude of about 800 meters. The blooming daylilies follow the contours of the slopes, forming a dazzling golden sea of flowers. Together with the surrounding mountain scenery and blue sky with white clouds, it presents a breathtaking artistic landscape.
Liushitou Mountain also offers the beautiful sight of rays of light breaking through the clouds (also known as god rays) (Photo / East Rift Valley National Scenic Area)
The Fengyuan Art Week starting on February 3 also includes lantern exhibitions, evening galas, and night market food. Among them, the two-story-tall, 3.3-meter-wide hand-painted ink lantern will be displayed along with a sound-and-light show. At the Wenshin Forest Park lantern area, small “flying dragon” lanterns will be given out every evening starting February 1 until February 6 at 6:00 PM. The Fengyuan District Office Arts Square will also distribute them from February 3 to 8, starting at 6:30 PM, with a total of 50,000 lanterns available until they run out.
For more Spring Festival entertainment information, you can download the free “Spring Festival Fun App”:
itunes.apple.com/tw/app//id493217409?mt=8
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