The Lantern Festival is one of the highlights of Taiwan’s lunisolar calendar. Elaborate lanterns of all shapes and sizes adorn buildings, streets, and parks. Others are sent high into the heavens in hopes of reaching the gods above.
Taiwan’s most famous Lantern Festival event took place in the town of Pingxi on Tuesday this week. Hundreds of brilliantly illuminated lanterns soared to the skies, carrying hopes and wishes for the new year.
The festival is held on the 15th day of the first month in the lunisolar calendar. It happens on the first full moon, which symbolizes the arrival of spring. It is a spectacular finish to traditional new year celebrations.
The lanterns are traditionally made of oiled rice paper over a bamboo frame, but more modern materials are also in use today. They are usually adorned with handwritten wishes for prosperity, health, and success. The lanterns use the same simple physical principle as hot air balloons – the fire within heats up the air and makes the lantern rise.
Using sky lanterns has a long tradition. They are said to have their roots in the Three Kingdoms period in China, when they were used as a tool for military communication. Nowadays, instead of tactical intel, they carry hopes and desires of the people below to the gods above.
Local authorities are promising to organize cleanup efforts after the festival to collect spent lanterns that didn’t quite make it all the way to the heavens.