Illuminating Traditions: The History of Lanterns and the Lantern Festival

It was my first time experiencing the Lantern Festival (元宵节). This year, it was held in Chiayi. The place was really huge, and I felt pretty tired walking all around, but it was definitely worth it. We walked over 5 km, admiring everything, and my family wondered how I had so much energy being 8 months pregnant. The lanterns were incredibly beautiful, especially the ones with a love theme.

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. In ancient times, lanterns were very simple, and only the emperor could have large ones. The first Lantern Festival was held in 1990. The Tourism Bureau decided to combine the major lantern festival with the Sky Lantern Festival and Yanshui Firework Festival, which are both very old customs. The festival originally took place at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, but now it is known and celebrated all over the island.

There are three types of lanterns: hanging lanterns, floating lanterns, and flying lanterns. Usually, a month before Lunar New Year, many shops and homes hang lanterns everywhere. Traditionally, lanterns are red and oval-shaped, decorated with red and gold tassels. The red color symbolizes warmth, happiness, and good fortune. Sometimes you can also see lanterns in different colors. Each color has its own meaning: pink represents romance, white represents good health, green represents growth, orange represents money, yellow represents good luck in school, and light blue and purple represent making dreams come true.

Flying Lanterns are also a part of the Lantern Festival, but if you want to see them, the only place they are released is Pingxi. Floating lanterns come in different forms, and some are not used during Lunar New Year. Water lanterns, in particular, can be seen as a celebration of the Ghost Month.

The history of lanterns dates back more than 2000 years to when Buddhism was growing in China. Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty noticed that Buddhist monks would light lanterns in temples on the 15th day of the first lunar month. He ordered all households, temples, and the imperial palace to light lanterns on that evening. Over time, it developed into a folk custom.

See also: Lanter Festival Celebration around Taiwan

 
 

There are several legends associated with this festival. One legend tells of ancient times when people worshiped the God of Heaven - Taiyi. They believed that the God could control the destiny of the human world. During that time, Chinese emperors ordered ceremonies each year to ask the God for good weather and health for the people.

Another legend is about Tianguan, the Taoist God of Good Fortune. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first month. People believed that the God enjoyed entertainment, so they prepared various activities and prayed for good fortune.

Yet another legend speaks of a beautiful crane that flew to earth from heaven. Unfortunately, it was killed by some villagers upon landing. The Jade Emperor of Heaven became angry because it was his favorite crane. He planned to destroy the village with a storm on the 15th day of the new year. However, the emperor's daughter warned the villagers of his plans. In response, people hung lanterns, set up fires, and exploded fireworks on the 14th to 16th day to make the Emperor think the village was on fire.

In the early days, young people would always go out on the streets in the hope of finding love. The brightest lanterns were seen as symbols of good luck and hope.

The second part of the lantern exhibition was near the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum. The floating lanterns on Zhishan Lake were truly beautiful.

See also: Sky Lantern Festival

See also: Bombing Dragon Festival

But Chiayi is not the only place where you can see the Lantern Festival. The other day, my husband's cousin had to go to Nantou, so we went with him. The place wasn't very big, but we still found some lantern decorations. We also saw a colorful show on the water.

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Chiayi Travel: Historical Relic Museum

The Historical Relic Museum can be found in Chiayi Park. It is a Japanese-style building that was constructed in 1941. Inside, visitors can learn about the history of Chiayi, Alishan, and the Japanese colonial legacy.

Entry to the museum is free, and visitors are required to take off their shoes before entering.

This building used to serve as the administrative office of Kagi Shrine. Only the ruins of the shrine can be seen today, as the main structure was destroyed in a fire in 1994. The Historical Relic Museum building underwent renovation and was opened to the public in 2001. The original beauty of the building was restored, featuring Japanese-style stone lanterns, walls made of wooden planks, and a black tiled roof. The area surrounding the museum is now part of Chiayi Park.

Kagi Shrine was a Shinto shrine that was initially built facing south in 1915. In 1942, the shrine was altered to face west. In 1917, it was categorized as a prefectural shrine, and deities such as Prince Yoshihisa, Onamuchi no Mikoto, and Amaterasu were enshrined there. However, the shrine was destroyed by fire in April 1994.

During the Japanese colonial rule, a total of 204 shrines were built in Taiwan. The first shrine was constructed in Tainan in December 1896. The majority of shrines were built in the 1930s until Japan's defeat in World War II.

While walking in the park, visitors may also notice the Confucius Temple. The Chiayi Confucius Temple was originally built in 1706 but collapsed due to an earthquake in 1907. It was rebuilt inside Chiayi Park in 1961.

Address:

600嘉義市東區公園街42號昭和十八J18-嘉義市史蹟資料館

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Sun Moon Lake: Unveiling the Legend of Taiwan's Serene Beauty

The legend of Sun Moon Lake

Long ago, in the mountains of Nantou, there lived a tribe called the Shao. The people mostly cultivated corn, rice, and taro on their farms and relied on fishing and hunting for their main source of food.

One morning, they heard a loud "boom" and felt the ground shaking. The sun had disappeared. Everyone was upset and crying, unable to believe that the sun had vanished. In the darkness, they could do nothing but find their way back home.

At night, when the moon appeared, they could see again and do some farm work. But suddenly, another sound was heard, nearly destroying their houses. And then the moon disappeared as well, causing people to cry once again.

Since that time, the sky was without the sun and moon. The whole world was covered in darkness. The plants in the fields died, the fish hid in deep water, flowers ceased to bloom, and the animals became lifeless. People wondered how they could survive without sunlight.

In the village, there lived a young couple named Da Jian Ge and Shui She Jie. They pondered a plan to bring back the sun and moon, for without them, everyone would perish. The next day, they set out on a journey through the forest, determined to find the sun and moon. They climbed mountains, crossed rivers and forests, but couldn't find any sunlight.

After a long walk, they reached the mountaintop, where they saw a faint light shining on a lake. They ran towards the lake and discovered two dragons playing with the sun and moon. They cried when they realized who had stolen them and that the dragons were afraid to take them back.

They sat on a rock, and suddenly, white smoke emerged from underneath it. They moved the rock aside and discovered a long and narrow pathway. They entered and, as the smoke cleared, they found an old white woman cooking in her kitchen. The woman was surprised to see other people. She told them that long ago, dragons had brought her here from the fields and wouldn't let her leave. They forced her to cook meals for them.

The young couple told her about the dragons stealing the sun and moon. She advised them that dragons were afraid of golden scissors and an ax hidden under Ali Mountain (Alishan). Throwing the scissors and ax into the lake would kill the dragons and allow them to bring back the sun and moon.

The couple headed toward the mountain, found two sticks, and began digging all day and night until they unearthed the scissors and ax. They picked them up and hurried back to the lake. After killing the dragons, the lake turned red with their blood, and the sun and moon floated on the water. The couple rescued the old woman and tried to figure out how to send the sun and moon back to the sky.

The woman told them that if they ate the dragon's eyeballs, they would become tall and strong enough to bring them back to the sky. The couple dived into the lake to find the dragon's eyes. After consuming them, they began to grow. When they emerged from the water, they were as tall as mountains.

Together, the couple held the sun and threw it into the sky, but it would fall back again. They tried multiple times, but both the sun and moon wouldn't stay in the sky. Then, the old woman advised them to use palm trees to hold them up. Each of them grabbed a tree, placed the sun on top, and began supporting it. The sun rose higher and higher. After a whole day of hard work, the sun resumed its normal function. They did the same with the moon.

The world became bright again, and the plants started to grow. People smiled once more. Fearing that the dragons might return, the couple stood beside the lake. After many years, their bodies became mountains - DaJia Shan and ShuiShe Shan - and the lake became known as SunMoon Lake.

To show their gratitude, the people dedicated a dance to this young couple. In the dance, people would throw colorful balls into the air and attempt to catch them with bamboo sticks, symbolizing their brave actions.

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Nantou Travel: Hehuanshan - Snow and Cherry Blossom Viewing

It's winter time, and I miss snow. Today, we decided to go to the mountains in Nantou to play in the snow. It's about a 3-hour drive from Yunlin. Many people were also heading there. Unfortunately, there was a control stop, and cars without chains were not allowed to proceed. There were a few places where we could rent chains, but they were quite expensive. In the end, we decided to go back home. However, if you want to travel, there is also a bus station, although the bus service is not very frequent. You can also find taxis nearby, which many people seemed to use.

Hehuanshan is one of the National Taiwan Forest Recreation Areas. It spans 457 hectares and is situated at an elevation of 2300-3400 meters above sea level, making it the highest among all the recreation areas. The annual temperature there is only 6 degrees Celsius. Hehuanshan experiences cool summers and cold winters, with the presence of snow. It is usually covered in mist and fog in the afternoon, creating beautiful scenery.

Hehuanshan's main peak serves as the watershed for several major rivers in Taiwan. The mountain climbing, sea of clouds, beautiful sunrise, and sunset attract many visitors.

When I lived in Poland, I was always happy to play with snow during the winter season. Unfortunately, in Taiwan, it is either impossible or very difficult. However, in the higher mountains, you can still experience snow as well as enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms. On the way, I saw some blooming trees.

Even though it is normal for me, I still felt excited to go to the mountains. I can't imagine a winter without snow, especially during Christmas time. I felt really upset about it.

The only downside is that you need tire chains or have to take a bus/taxi if you really want to go. Maybe next year, we'll be back or we'll be lucky to have snow in Poland when we return for Christmas.

By the way, I feel extremely cold during the winter season. It's crazy for me that houses in Taiwan don't have heating systems. Sometimes, when the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, my parents-in-law still leave the door open. I really miss Poland and having heating.

The winter season isn't very long, and even when the weather is 15 degrees, the humidity and wind make it feel like 0 degrees. Before I came to Taiwan, I used to say it's impossible to feel cold because it seems like there is no winter here. Well, I was wrong!

On the way, we also stopped to admire the pink cherry blossoms. We visited Swiss Garden, a small park with a few trees and a lake. Please note that there is an entrance fee for the lake park. There are also a few shops and a Family Mart. In front of the building, you can see colorful umbrellas hanging above the ground.

  

 

 

 

Address:

546南投縣仁愛鄉合歡山翠峰風景特定區

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