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Updated Tuesday, February 7, 2012 12:25 am TWN, The China Post news staff



	Firecrackers explode all over the body of a man standing on a sedan chair in Taitung City, yesterday. The man chosen to endure the ordeal as part of the city's traditional Lantern Festival celebrations wore nothing except a pair of boxers. In his hands were leaves from a banyan tree. (CNA) More Photos (4)

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Lantern Festival takes off in uplifting celebrations

The long-anticipated 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival kicked off yesterday for a 14-day run in Lukang Township in the central county of Changhua after President Ma Ying-jeou lit up the main theme lantern at around 7:00 p.m., with at least 600,000 visitors swarming the town to enjoy various performances and colorful, brilliant lanterns.

As 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, the design of the main theme lantern is “Soaring Dragon in Radiant Skies,” which is embodied through the imagery of “a dragon soaring across the world, the glory of creation, abounding auspicious clouds, and embracing virtue.” The design is also rooted in traditional culture and folk customs, combining art, technology, and fashion to symbolize the nation soaring high through its centennial year during the Lantern Festival.

Sponsored by the Chunghwa Telecom Corp., the main theme lantern is 20 meters high and made up of hundreds of thousands of LED lights.

There are also four secondary theme lanterns, created by traditional lighting designers and bearing the themes of Heavenly Holy Mother (Matsu), Brilliant Deer, Leaping the Dragon Gate, and Bisi Bearing Fortune, which are also quite popular with visitors.

According to the Tourism Bureau, organizer of the event, the whole Lukang township is decorated as a “lantern township,” integrating robust local cultures and a wide variety of elegant lanterns.

More than 100 reporters and photographers from over 70 international news media organizations have to Taiwan to cover the 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival at the invitation of the Tourism Bureau. Among the invitees are Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun, and Saga Television Station of Japan, Chosun Ilno and Korea JoongAng Daily, and Fox News of the U.S.

Yesterday afternoon, performances were staged to celebrate the festival and entertain visitors, including shows starring cartoon characters from Tokyo Disney Resort, U Theatre, Ten Drum Art Percussion Group, Ju Percussion Group, Gojinyo Taiko Troupe from Ishikawa Prefecture, Yosakoi Street Dance Troupe, Fu LIan-Tang Variety Show, Tainan University of Technology, and the Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport, among others.

Last night saw the launch around the nation of various other joyful and exciting lantern festival activities.

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