Pingxi Skylantern Festival lights up hope and touches the world
The 2014 New Taipei City Pingxi Skylantern Festival with the theme of “Happiness Lifting Off and Together Forever” would run a series of activities for consecutive three weeks. The first activity “God of Wealth Greeting skylantern” event kicked off on 2/3/2014 in Jingtong Elementary School. The second activity “Lights Up Hope and Touches the World skylantern” event was held on 2/8/2014. Witnessed together by President Ma Yingjiu, New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu and many diplomats from all other countries, the 26 ft giant Wish Skylantern having many wishes from all over the world written on it was released.
Mayor Chu indicated that the festival was complimented greatly internationally in recent years. In 2013 the American media CNN chose it as one of the top 52 worthwhile fun events in the world, and the biggest travel publisher fodor said this festival was one of the top 14 classic events which people must participate in their lifetime. The festival would last to Lantern Festival this year, and people from all over the world were welcomed to visit Pingxi not only just to release skylanterns, but also to experience Pingxi’s special and unique nature and cultural customs.
President Ma Yingjiu said that he was very glad to release skylanterns in Pingxi with many domestic and foreign friends. The skylanterns released today were invented by Zhu Geliang in 200 A.D. This cultural heritage was so touching. Now Taiwan had entered into a new era of tourism, and the number of international tourists was hugely increased. There were 8 million people visiting Taiwan last year, and he expected the number this year to exceed 9 million. He truly welcomed people worldwide participate in Pingxi Skylantern Festival, and he wished everyone Happy Chinese New Year.
Tourism and Travel Department indicated that Pingxi Skylanterns represented peace and happiness, and on the giant 26 ft skylantern released on 2/8/2014, there were 1,040 wish messages received on the event website from 28 countries across 5 continents. Also, “peace & love” was collaged using all countries’ flags, and people all over the world were together praying for bringing love and peace to the world.
The department also said that the next activity would be held on 2/14/2014, and that day would be both Lantern Festival and Valentines’ Day. The activity “Take Hands Together and Love Lifts up Skylantern” event would take place in Shifen Square. The main skylantern would be “Giant Panda Yuanzai “ built by the cooperation of New Taipei City and Taipei City. There were also love skylanterns for bringing sweet and joyful happiness. Everyone was welcomed to invite family members and lovers to visit Pingxi to release skylanterns.
On 2/14/2014, all vehicles such as cars, scooters and motorcycles would be completely restricted from 9 am to 12 am midnight. The City Government encouraged civilians to use public transportation during the festival; people could take trains or shuttle buses to the festival.