It's the second time I have the chance to see the Lantern Festival. A year ago, we went to the Chiayi Lantern Festival, and during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I had the opportunity to see Sky Lanterns. Both celebrations take place on the 15th day of the first lunar month. In my previous posts, I wrote about the traditions of the Lantern Festival and the legend of sky lanterns. Check them out if you want to know more!
The first Lantern Festival was held in 1990. The Tourism Bureau decided to organize a major lantern festival together with the Sky Lantern Festival and the Yanshui Firework Festival, which are very old customs. The festival originally took place at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. Now it is known and celebrated all around the island. But that's not the only form of celebrating this day. Other well-known events on this day include the Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi, the Yanshui Firework Festival in Tainan, and the Bombing Master Handan Festival in Taitung.
How Lantern Festival is celebrated around Taiwan?
One of the special celebrations is the Yanshui Firework Festival in Tainan, which includes a firecrackers ceremony. Every year, a man and a woman wearing helmets stand in the middle of several structures loaded with fireworks that are then set off. This celebration is believed to be a way of thanking Guan Gong, who rescued this place from a plague in the 19th century. This festival is very dangerous, and I have never been there yet.
Another similar celebration is held in Taitung, called the Bombing Master Handan Festival. This festival has been celebrated since 1954. Every year, one volunteer represents the local God of wealth, Master Han Dan. This volunteer, wearing only red shorts, a scarf, and goggles, stands in the middle of the crowd while people throw firecrackers at him.
Another festival during this day is a Hakka tradition called the Bombing the Dancing Dragon Festival. The festival is held to welcome spring and bring good luck. Several people wear a dragon costume and move up and down. The crowd throws fireworks at the dancing dragon to ask for blessings and pray for fortune. The more explosive the dance and the more the dragon gets hit by fireworks, the more luck and prosperity for those who participate. The dragon is built using bamboo frames and covered with fabric in the colors of red, green, blue, silver, and gold, which represent the five elements in nature according to Taoism.
The Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi is named the second biggest New Year's Eve festival in the world. The festival lasts about two weeks and is always held on the 15th day of the first lunar month as part of the Lantern Festival. Pingxi is the only place where the release of sky lanterns is allowed by the government. Sky lanterns, also known as Kongming lanterns, were invented by Zhuge Liang and were originally used to convey military messages.
See also: Bombing Dragon Festival
Yanshui Beehive Festival, Tainan (Picture source: https://goo.gl/images/Q8tDc3)
Bombing Master Handan, Taitung (Picture source: https://goo.gl/images/HEzSRq)
Bombing Dragon Festival, Miaoli (Picture source: https://goo.gl/images/pz5NKr)
congratulations, yours experiences and opinions are precious for people willing to visit Taïwan. Czy istnieje tez w polskiej wersji ?😀 I've visited Taïwan twice and hope be back soon😀
ReplyDeleteNiestety tylko po angielsku, ale mam nadzieję, że w przyszłości znajdę czas na przetłumaczenie!
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