Thousands of Lanterns launch into the sky with citizens’ wishes
President Ma Ying-jeou and New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu participated in the 2nd Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival at Pingxi Elementary school on February 17.
The lantern master pasted over 3,000 colorful papers written by the citizens into a heart shape on a 20 feet giant sky lantern, meaning the love for Taiwan. Pingxi Festival was named one of the 52 to do things in 2013 by CNN, and it used to be named the second largest festival by the Discovery Channel.
President Ma, who participated in the festival for six times, indicated that the lantern festival was getting better and better each year, and it always attracts many citizens. Ma wrote down the blessing to pray for the economic boom and the citizens’ happiness.
Chu indicated that launching the sky lanterns represent the symbol of peace, and it’s a great way to make wishes, and to represent the symbol of peace. In addition, the lanterns can not only launched during the Lantern Festival, but also during regular time with your friends, family or lover.
Despite the last holiday of the Chinese New Year, the festival still attracts over 130,000 citizens to participate in. Ma and Chu wrote down the blessings on the main lantern to wish for the best of New Taipei and Taiwan, and then it rose high into the sky along with the citizens’ cheers and applauses.
The 3rd part of the Lantern Festival will be held in Shifen Sky Lantern Square on February 24, and it will prepare the 12 feet height snake shape lantern called the “Little Green Dragon” as the main lantern. The 2,000 free limited lanterns will be open at 12pm for the citizens.
Several bands were invited to perform at the event, gaining some New Year’s atmosphere.
In addition, whomever interested in the upcoming festival on February 24, can visit the official website http://tour.ntpc.gov.tw/2013skylantern/ for more information.
