![]() ![]() ![]() The goal is to reduce residue and lower fire risk caused by smouldering lantern skeletons. ![]() It replaces the bamboo frame and brown burning paper with recycled pulp that burns out completely in the air. Although community groups and volunteers head out to retrieve the lanterns for small rewards, it’s not a perfect system.Ī local group called Bank of Culture has developed an eco-friendly sky lantern. Although you can release sky lanterns any day of the year, Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are the most popular periods for the tradition.īut there are downsides to the ritual: burnt-out lanterns come down as litter to pollute the hills and rivers, while the lit lanterns are fire hazards and can be dangerous for nocturnal animals. This became the Lantern Festival, now Pingxi’s most important cultural event, held on the 15th day of the first lunar month. When the worst of the winter had passed, sky lanterns were flown to signal that it was safe for them to return. Villagers often took to the mountains to escape these dangers in winter. The tradition dates back to the Qing dynasty, when Pingxi was a remote but affluent district that had to deal with bandits. It’s a mesmerising scene, and there’s also the warm and fuzzy feeling knowing the lanterns are carrying your wishes. It gets lit, the heat propelling it upwards to join the other lanterns glowing in the velvety darkness. Paraffin-soaked brown paper is attached in the centre. Each standard lantern, almost the height of a person, is constructed with four rice paper sheets glued to a bamboo hoop at the bottom. Visitors just have to buy a lantern from one of the many shops specialising in them, and the shopkeepers provide ink to write a message and even help you take pictures as you send it to the skies. This is the main reason tourists come to Pingxi, located about two hours by train from central Taipei. But the most dazzling scene came later, when my three friends and I released a sky lantern with our wishes written on it. Rows of traditional shophouses ran parallel to the rail that brought me there, the retro snack stores, bric-a-brac shops and food stalls transporting me back to 1950s Taiwan. 16–Feb.I’ll never forget my first sight of Pingxi. The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival: November 18th, 2022 - January 8th, 2023.Many large lantern displays are held, such as: This is why some say that the Chinese Lantern Festival is the true Chinese "Valentine's Day", rather than Qixi Festival (七夕 'Double Seventh').Ĭhinese Lantern Festival 2023 Events Around the WorldĬhinese Lantern Festival has become increasingly popular in Western countries in recent years. In ancient times, unmarried women were not allowed to go out of the house. The Chinese Lantern Festival provided an opportunity for them to stroll freely, lighting lanterns, playing games, and interacting with men. Is Yuanxiao Jie the Real Chinese Valentine's Day?Ĭhina's Lantern Festival is one of the romantic traditional Chinese festivals. ![]() It is believed that the custom of eating tangyuan originated during the Song Dynasty era, and became popular during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynastic periods. Yuanxiao can be boiled, fried, or steamed, and are customarily served in fermented rice soup, called tianjiu (甜酒 tiánjiǔ /tyen-jyoh/ 'sweet liquor'). It, therefore, symbolizes family reunion, harmony, and happiness.
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