The Lantern Festival

If there are some memories I can ascribe to Pingxi it would be: rain, fighting, crazy old women trying to hit on me, and the worst train ride in the history of the planet. So, what would convince me to return to this forsaken area northeast of Taipei on what the forecast had predicted would be another rainy day? To accomplish what I set out to do exactly one year ago: to see the Pingxi Heavenly Lanterns set off into the night sky. And for all the rain and crowds and ungodly waits, the spectacle was entirely worth it.


The day started off as any day should- a Chinese Lantern making class. Run by the competent minds at Language Cafe, this was a two hour long session about the Chinese Lanterns, their legend, how they were made and and what they symbolize today. Following a short presentation on what one traditionally paints on their lanterns, we were given our own kits complete with paintbrushes, paint and rough sketches of various orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemum flowers to paint on our lanterns.


Choosing a more symbolic approach, I decided to begin with my rendition of Taipei 101. Architecturally structured after bamboo, I found this to be a perfect design to capture the simplicity of the ancient lantern while incorporating a modern element. This, I find, juxtaposes Taiwan's naturally competing forces of preserving a rich history and the demand for a progressive future. That, and Taipei 101 was easier to draw than bamboo.


Around the lantern, I included scenes of a horribly painted flower, the city skyline surrounding Taipei 101 and the lanterns set off at Pingxi, the evening's final destination. But even with my atrocious art skills, I was enjoying my painting class, which nostalgically set me back about 15 years in Kindergarten seriously attemping a Monet a la finger paints. Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last real arts and crafts time I partook in.

Once our lanterns were completed, and left to dry, we were split into four groups where we set up a large lantern that we were going to set off in Pingxi later that evening. In my group was a foreign guy from Canada and two very lovely ladies from Taiwan. Each of us wrote our wishes on the lantern. Mine consisted of five words, "I wish for a vacation." After we wrote our wishes, our foreign friend informed us that he couldn't join us on our trip to Pingxi as he had a prior engagement. That left me alone with the two lovely young women. Already, this lantern festival was shaping up quite nicely.


We boarded the bus by Taipei Zoo, strategically avoiding the trains, and zipped along down to Pingxi. The crowds were absolutely massive! As a "painting class" we went down to the elementary school to set off our lanterns. In the light drizzle, some lanterns proved to be unsuccessful. Ours happened to be in that category. Fortunately, countless more had much more luck as their lanterns sailed seamlessly into the night sky.

At anytime, there had to be about 100 lanterns dotting the night sky. The rain ceased, allowing us decent views of the heavenly drifters. At times, your mind played tricks on you and you thought there were only countless stars floating amorphously about, before dropping out of view. Just then, an ahhh over took the street crowd as hundreds of lanterns were sent of from a distance at once. The lantern festival had begun.

My group and I climbed the stairs to the place where the ceremony took place. We gathered around a massive square where people were being led into the center by festival organizers. I fought my way through the crowd and photographers to get an upclose view of these lanterns. It wasn't long before the lights shut off and the lanterns were lit. Suddenly, the music swelled, the signal was given, and the lanterns were released en masse. The sight of hundreds of lanterns being released into the night sky is an image one holds close to one's heart, for ever and ever.

The magnificent show was repeated about ten or fifteen times each with a celebration of a different theme. The Mexican Lanterns were released following a Mexican dance, the Japanese Lanterns were released after a Japanese ceremony, and so on. We were even delighted by the appearance of Taiwan's President, President Ma, who made some remarks about the event. I couldn't help but think how nice it is to go to a massively popular event featuring the country's president and NOT have to go through even one security checkpoint.

After a number of releases, my friends and I went down to the food stalls for some traditional Taiwanese night snacks including pigs blood, kebabs, various meats, Chicken butts and all sorts of surprisingly delicious treats. The evening was capped off with a wonderful surprise when a group of teenagers set off a lantern with some firecrackers attached to the end of it. The lantern didn't get enough upward lift at first and hovered dangerously low over a police car before continuing on skyward bound.

A nearby police office watched in horror as these fireworks were exploding over his car. As soon as the lantern was a safe distance away, he rushed over to his beloved automobile, whipped out his flashlight, spotted it on his car, and noticed a large burned mark. He turned around and yelled, half jokingly, half angrily, "They burned my car! They burned my car!"


I am sure you're sad you missed this exceptionally moving experience, as it had to be one of the most visually gratifiying moments of my life. Well, you can also set off your own virtual lantern (and please the environmentalists who are never to happy about the massive ecological mess the lanterns make on this day) by going to waste26.epa.gov.tw/skylight.

But back to the burned car. After that, we waited two hours in line for a bus ride back to Taipei where we dreamed of skyward lanterns dashing the skies with our hopes and wishes. From your lantern fesitvaller who will not be able to take a vacation this year because of failed lantern, Michael.