President Tsai Ing-wen (center) is joined by officials during the lighting ceremony of the 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festival Feb. 5 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
President Tsai Ing-wen officially lit the centerpiece of the Taiwan Lantern Festival Feb. 5 in Taipei City and announced that the country is prepared to welcome more tourists from around the world.
The festival has been held at a different location around Taiwan since 2001 to promote balanced regional development, Tsai said. Over the past two decades, it has combined local culture with urban characteristics and attracted many visitors to the country, she added.
The festival has returned to Taipei for the first time in 23 years with lantern installations displayed in four main exhibition areas in 12 city districts. Tsai praised the centerpiece “Brilliant Light of the Jade Hare” by Taiwan artist Akibo Lee, who used motion capture technology to incorporate the facial expressions of Olympic gold medalist Kuo Hsing-chun into a robotic astronaut, and artist Chen Pu’s “Future Shuttle,” which gives the illusion of popping out of the Far Eastern Sogo Department Store facade.
Many artists from home and abroad have demonstrated ingenuity through their wonderful creations, Tsai said as she urged visitors to take part in future events in other cities and counties to help revitalize domestic tourism. In addition, the president expressed anticipation that the central and local governments will continue working together to respond to the needs of the people and build a better tomorrow.
Running until Feb. 19, this year’s edition is themed “Light Up the Future.” Its main venues are National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Taipei City Hall Square, the East District commercial area, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, and Xinyi District.
The Taiwan Lantern Festival was first staged in 1990 to celebrate the country’s folk custom of observing the first full moon of the lunar calendar. Next year’s event will be held in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City. (YCH-E)
