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Lanterns reveal old and new Taiwan
There is something about a 500-foot tall plastic rabbit with flashing eyes and strobe lights that makes you sit up and pay attention. You could travel the world and never see such a bizarre structure, but at the annual lantern festivals in the tropical island of Taiwan such gigantic creatures as electronic rabbits and high tech dragons are all the rage. Old traditions and new technology mix together well in Taiwan, but never better than during the annual lantern festivals.
Cities and towns all over Taiwan vie for the honour of hosting the annual lantern festivals to honour the New Year. Teams and companies spend months and much money to create enormous structures to match the craziness of the New Year celebrations. Given Taiwan’s position as a global leader in electronics, it’s no surprise that good old-fashioned lanterns have taken on a high tech look.
Taiwan is comprised almost entirely of people who emigrated from China, and firecrackers and lanterns have always been part of ancient Chinese culture. In the past, artists spent months painting paper lanterns to hang from trees and in temples to help bring in the new year with style. These days, the lanterns at the festivals are apt to be plastic, huge, comprised of flashing LED lights and laser beams.
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4710 began on Jan. 23, 2012. Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the 15th, when the moon is brightest. Chinese people may take several weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.
At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which can drive away bad luck, according to legend. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.
The Taiwan lantern festival is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon. With luck, you may even see gigantic dragon lanterns breathing fire or a 500-foot bunny rabbit.
Text and Photo by Michael McCarthy ©
