Taiwan Lantern Festival

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The Taiwan Lantern Festival (臺灣燈會) is an annual event hosted by the Tourism Bureau (觀光局) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (交通部) in Taiwan to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

There are many activities all over Taiwan during Taiwan Lantern Festival.During the Taiwan Lantern Festival(臺灣燈會), thousands of sky lanterns light over the village of Pingsi(平溪) in Taiwan. In Yenshui Township the firecrakers ceremony of Wumiao Temple is also one of the important activity.

[edit] History

Starting from 1990, the Tourism Bureau integrated civilian and local governmental resources to conduct the event to celebrate the Lantern Festival (fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar). The purpose of the festival is to spread the traditional folklore festival.

The firecrakers ceremony of Wumiao Temple in Yenshui Township was held by ancient people in order to show respect for the exploits of Kuankung. Fengpao is the ceremony to start to burn thousands of soaring firecrakers hung on a five to twenty-five meters high wooden stand. This ceremony starts from six o'clock in the afternoon until five o'clock in the morning. Thousands of people and vistors will attend the ceremony.

The festival is the most important annual lantern festival in Taiwan. Earlier times, the event was held in Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park in Taipei. Since 2001, the event toured around Taiwan.