Feb 11, 2017
Lantern Festival 2017 (Taiwan)
The Lantern Festival arrives on the first full moon of the Chinese calendar and marks the last day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. The lanterns are meant to ward off evil spirits and bring families closer together to watch as they flood the streets. Taiwan’s most celebrated Lantern Festival features lanterns that play their own theme music and tower over 10 meters tall, with many featuring ornate designs that correspond with the signs of the zodiac.
Taiwan began recognizing this Chinese festival in 1990 as an effort to spread the traditional folklore to the masses. One of the most important events that takes place on this evening is the Fengpao ceremony, where thousands of firecrackers are burned and hung in the Wumiao Temple. The lantern event and the fire ceremony together are known as “Fireworks in the south, sky lanterns in the north” and are meant to call in wishes for the new year.
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