Main Lantern Ground-Breaking and Blessing Ceremony for 2020 Taiwan Lantern Festival

2019.12.02

The 2020 Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held in Taichung from February 8th to February 23rd next year (2020), and the main exhibition area will be located in Houli Horse Ranch &Forest Park.“Gengzi Year’s (Year of Rat) Main Lantern Foundation Ground-Breaking Ceremony for 2020 Taiwan Lantern Festival”would be held at the spot intended for Taiwan Lantern Festival’s main lantern set up Today (the 17th) to pray for smooth construction of lantern festival and successful lantern festival activities.

This is the third-time Taichung has organized Taiwan Lantern Festival, following 2003 and 2015. In addition to incorporating Taichung’s imagery and diversificationfeatures, Taichung’s rich ecology, creativity, culture, industry, and diversified co-prosperity are illustrated at this annual event. This year, the main lantern was designed by the well-known artist Lin, Shuen Long in person for the very first time. It is a large-scale art creation themed around “Guarding Forest Life”. The core base of the art work is Mother Earth and a creation of a huge tree of more than 15 meters. Through illusions made possible by light and shadows, an endless stream of energy flowing from Nature prompts people to contemplate on conservation of the environment. The effects of the main lantern,associated with the imagery of the forest,unfold tens of thousands of styles. The art work will also be kept in the original site after the festival to be a local landmark and a must-see attraction for tourist visiting Houli, Taichung.

In order to convey ecological sustainability and coexistence with nature,which are highly valued by the Taiwan Lantern Festival, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), in addition to revitalizing the landmark of Houli Horse Ranch &Forest Park-“The Sound of Blooming” installation and the Green exhibition home The Wheel, etc. by upgrading equipment and effects of night light, giving the installation art, which was highly praised during the Flora Expo, a brand-new look during the Lantern Festival, art works including the main lantern “Guarding Forest Life” and the sub lantern “Blessed Earth” are to be kept in the original sites after the Lantern Festival. This would continue to extend the benefits made possible by the Lantern Festival, and also set a new milestone for the new ecologically sustainable Lantern Festival.

Next year’s “Taiwan Lantern Festival” coincides with the Festival’s 31st anniversary. The theme of the exhibition is ” Fantastic Forest Land”, with sustainability as its core value, blending with local features and combining elements of central-Taiwan tour journeys to create brand-new Lantern Festival highlights. All citizens are invited to meet in Taichung next year to participate in this annual Lantern Festival, which will light up Taichung and let the whole world see Taiwan. All citizens are welcome to visit Taichung next year to enjoy a colorful and exciting Lantern Festival!