Attend Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, Taiwan

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Thousands of specially designed lanterns are simultaneously released in a surreal display as part of ceremonies steeped in local culture to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Pingxi, Taiwan. The launching of the lanterns takes place after dark with the written hopes and dreams of those that have given the floating lanterns flight written on slips of paper that are enclosed in the containers. This impressive aerial display of lighted orbs ascending into the atmosphere occurs as part of a fortnight of celebrations of the Chinese New Year near New Tapei City, Taiwan where the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is held. Pingxi is a small, rural district in the shadows of the mountains of northeastern Tapei County about an hour’s drive from the center of the capital city of Tapei. The Flying of the Lanterns with its hand decorated self-propelled lights is held on a few different nights during the celebration period seeing the largest ascent on the 15th day after the Lunar New Year (known as Yuan Xiao) bringing the annual festivities to a conclusion. Vendors offering celebrants the floating lanterns, toy replica lanterns, fireworks and food and drink line the town’s streets enhancing the festive atmosphere. Originally a symbol of safe conditions in the township, the release of the lanterns has taken on the modern purpose of transporting the hopes and prayers of the gathered participants to their higher power eager for a change of fortune in the New Year. The lanterns are produced in many different colors in the Lantern Shops of the town with each color signifying a particular meaning. The festival draws more than 100,000 visitors to Pingxi. Buses and Trains depart Tapei regularly during the Lantern Festival transporting celebrants back and forth from the large, metropolitan city to Pingxi. Pingxi is served by the Pingxi Line of Taiwan Railway Administration. Your dream to celebrate the Lunar New Year with an ancient traditional ceremony can be fulfilled by adding Attend the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival to your list. Write down your most important hopes and desires and plan to hoist the document to the heavens aboard one of the floating lights. In more than one way checking this off your list may truly be a dream come true.

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