Pandemic fears have seen Taiwanese authorities cancel a string of high-profile Lunar New Year events. But that hasn’t stopped New Taipei City from celebrating the incoming Year of the Ox with some very special figurines.
Kids from New Taipei City kindergartens will dance till the cows come home. That’s because they’re promoting the city’s new miniature ox-shaped lanterns: Kung-fu Cow, Moo Money, and Ox Emperor.
For added entertainment, local council workers perform a classic tale.
Even Mayor Hou You-Yi joins in, donning a Monkey King hand puppet. He says he hopes the city enjoys spending the Lantern Festival with the new paper figurines.
New Taipei hopes to give out 120,000 of the paper lanterns.
Mayor Hou also urged locals to be vigilant. He says authorities will monitor local tourism sites for risk of spreading COVID-19. If visitor numbers aren’t too high, then people will be allowed to visit.
Taiwan’s Education Ministry recently said that children will return to school four days later than planned. So Mayor Hou announced that parents can apply for leave to care for their children.
While pandemic fears swirl, New Taipei looks forward, udderly uncowed.