The 15th day of the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival. Its popularity is second only to the Lunar New Year, and it is the largest traditional festival in Taiwan. Lantern Festival celebrations will be held throughout the country, such as the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Pingxi Skylight, Tainan Beehive Firecrackers and the celebration of various temples.

In addition to the fun of viewing lanterns and guessing riddles, don't forget to bring a bowl of hot dumplings! The following introduces the information about the lantern festivals in Taiwan!

 

2019 Main Lantern | Pingtung Lantern Festival

The Taiwan Lantern Festival has gone through 29 years. In 2019, it coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the Taiwan Lantern Festival . The main light district will be set up in Dapeng Bay, Pingtung Donggang. The lantern will be moved to the National Scenic Area and designed with the theme of non-Zodiac. During  Donggang fishing local cultrure specialty "Tuna", and the sub-lights are reserved for the 12 Zodiac.

The Taiwan Lantern Festival is held in Pingtung for the first time. It was also the first to set up a lantern festival in the waters. The main light was on the shore. In the past, the practice of using the zodiac as the main lamp was broken, and the local Tuna was used as the main light to experience the Lantern Festival and Pingtung. The scenery is definitely worth visiting. 

♦ International Traveler Special Offer

1. What to get:

International free travellers who come to the "2019 Taiwan Lantern Festival" will be given a small lantern of 2019 Year of the Pig, a limited edition small gift and a voucher for each of the tickets (the viewing ceremony will not be available on the opening and closing days), and each person will receive 1 time. , until the end of the gift. 

2. How to get:

During the Taiwan Lantern Festival (February 19th to March 3rd, 2019), present your passport or relevant entry permit from 16:00 to 21:00 daily to the Taiwan Lantern Festival (Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area, Pingtung County) Dapeng Bay Visitor Center).

Source: Taiwan Lantern official website

Event dates: 2019/2/19-3/3

Location: Pingtung, Donggang, Dapeng Bay

 

Pingxi | Sky Lantern Festival

"Northern Taiwnan- Sky Lanten, Southern Taiwan- Beehive firecrackers" are the two most distinctive activities of Taiwan's Lantern Festival. They have been selected by the US media CNN as "the 52 most worthwhile annual events in the world" . This year, it broke through the previous visual design, and invited the illustrator to use pure hand-painted illustration style, and especially with fingerprint painting to create a warm and happy image of the sky lantern. The rich activities of Pingxi Lantern Festival and your joy to welcome the new year!

The origin of the sky lantern:

The lively Pingxi Lantern Festival has a history of more than two hundred years! In the ancient agricultural society, food and clothing at home was the most important issue. Every year after the Lantern Festival, spring ploughing began. People would put lanterns at this time and write auspicious words such as harvesting grain. They hoped to borrow heavenly lanterns to pray for heaven and ancestors.

In addition, if you can add more men in your home, you will be able to greatly improve your agricultural productivity. Therefore, when you get married and pregnant, you will also put on the sky lanterns to pray for early births. The pronunciation of Tian Ding, Tian Tian and Tian Deng is also very similar. Therefore, this local community symbolizes the activities of auspicious auspiciousness, which has gradually become a major event in Taiwan and even the world.

Image source: Tourism Bureau

Event dates: 2019/2/19 (Yuan Lan Festival) and 9/13 (Mid-Autumn Festival)

Location: Very Tencent Plaza

 

Tainan | Yanshui Beehive Firecrackers

According to legend, the saltwater bee-promoting activity originated in the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the medicine was underdeveloped. The cholera and salt plague in the old salt water street caused the local people to panic. They prayed for the sacred priests to resolve the disaster. The Guan Sheng Emperor went out on the night of the Lantern Festival. To the salt water town to sweep the demon，Since then, the descendants of generations have continued this activity every Lantern Festival, and gradually evolved into a distinctive "Yanshui Beehive Firecrackers" , and let the simple town of Surabaya add more and more famous folk activities.

It is a very special ceremony as a real person will take the place of the god Master Han Dan, wearing only a pair of red shorts. He will cover his face with a towel. He may not wear any other clothes. In his hand, He will hold a branch to protect himself. He will be carried by people on a sedan chair. He must stand strong as many people throw firecrackers at his body. In Taiwan, only a few places will worship Han Dan Yue including Taitung, Hualien and Yu Li, but only Taitung has this particular activity.

 

The origin of the Beehive Firecrackers:

There are two stories behind the legend of Master Han Dan. Number one goes that the god Master Han Dan was afraid of the cold, so every year during the parade, the people will light firecrackers to ward off the cold for Master Han Dan. And at the same time, the people hope that by throwing firecrackers, Master Han Dan will take good care of them. The second story says that Master Han Dan was a local gangster in Taitung who picked on the good people of Taitung. All evil was done by him. One year, the people planned to get Master Han Dan drunk and then attempt to kill him by throwing firecrackers. So up until now every year at the parade, people throw firecrackers in part to get rid of any upset emotions.

Carrying the gods around the city in Lantern Festival and throwing firecrackers at Master Han Dan has been going on in Taitung for over fifty years. This is a local specialty here in Taitung. Every year, the activity attracts more and more people to come to Taitung for this festival. With the help of the Tourism Bureau this has become one of the most important Lantern Festivals in Taiwan.

Image source: Tainan Intention

Event Date: 2019/2/18 8:00 am - 2019/2/20 am 12:00

Location: Salt Lake Temple, Tainan City

 

Tainan | Yuejin Port Lantern Festival

The Yuejin Port Festival of Lights was held for the first time in 2010. The traditional lantern festival was combined with art to create a festival of lights that is full of creativity and a combination of local culture. Today, the Yuejin Port Festival has become a large-scale cultural event not to be missed by the Spring Festival Lantern Festival.

The activities around the Yuejin Festival are quite rich. The Lantern Festival is all around the Yuejin Port. You are welcome to come to Tainan to enjoy the salt water.

Image source: La Vie activist

Event dates: 2019/2/2-3/3 (tentative)

Location: Salt Lake Port

 

Hualien | Pacific Lantern Festival

Hualien Pacific Lantern Festival will create a new technology landscaping dual-mainlights with a unique water and light technology show, blue tiger whale light show, red face duck 3D light curtain water dance show, creating a festive atmosphere, the six lights district Full 3D visual animation, with water mist screen, color laser animation, showing the ever-changing water dance performance, welcome everyone to come and experience the unique charm of the New Year on the left bank of the Pacific Ocean, and celebrate the New Year together.

Image source: Pacific Lights official website

Event dates: 2019/1/26-2/24, 1/26 opening party, 2/19 yuan evening party

Location: Liyu Lake, Phase 6 Redrawing Area

 

Taitung | Firecrackers at Master Han Dan

"Northern Sky Lanten, Southern Beehive firecrackers, Eastern Firecrackers at Master Han Dan ", the cold winter single master event has become the highlight of the Taitung County Lantern Festival. The custom of "cannon-frozen single-handedness" is that the cold single is afraid of cold. Every time there is a temple in the first month of the lunar calendar, there is a temple to freeze the cold, so that Han Danye feels warm and prays for blessing. It has become a well-known Lantern Festival in Taitung. activity.

 

Photo source: Taitung Star Rain Garden Homestay

Event date: 2019/2/19

Location: Fixed along the way, Xuanwu Hall, Taitung City (No. 2, Zhengqi Road)

 

Taipei Lantern Festival

The Taipei Lantern Festival, the Kaohsiung Lantern Festival and the Taiwan Lantern Festival, also known as the three major lantern festivals in Taiwan, have become one of the must-see activities of the Taiwanese Lantern Festival. This year, the North Gate Plaza, the North Gate Post Office and the Ximen Red House will create a permanent artistic landscape, and use the local monuments. such as the Lunar New Year or animal diverse topics, using high-tech sound and light effects, creating a magnificent atmosphere of the park landscape lighting, let Lantern joy, festive atmosphere rendering reunion blessing to visit the people.

Image source:Taipei City Hall Video

Event date: 2019/2/16~2/24

Location: Around Taipei North Gate, Taipei Station, along Zhonghua Road to Ximending (tentative)

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