Sunday, February 17, 2008

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival.



On Saturday February 16th, 2008 thousands of people gathered in 平溪鄉 (Pingxi Xiāng) for their annual sky lantern festival. Our school was kind enough to take approximately 500 students to Pingxi in order for us to witness the magic of the Lantern Festival; the symbolic end of the Chinese Lunar Festivals where people write their wishes upon Sky lanterns and release them to the heavens. Our group left Shida around 3 O'clock and took a one and a half hour bus ride to make it up to Pingxi before dark. The ride was a sight in itself due to the fact that police men blocked roads along the way to control the flow of traffic to Pingxi. 

Once we arrived at Pingxi we were able to get a taste of Pingxi's dozens upon dozens of food stands. While walking the food stands it was obvious that this festival was a big deal to the people of Taiwan, the situation could only be described as 人山人海 ren shan ren hai (meaning literally people mountain, people ocean or more figuratively a vast multitude of people). The whole time we were walking around people were lighting Sky lanterns and releasing fireworks, creating a very amazing atmosphere despite the fact that you could only move with the flow of the crowds.

When dark arrived the main events began taking place. People gathered in the center of the Pingxi Junior High school activity center where the majority of the Sky Lanterns were released into the sky 300 at a time (rewatch the video now). The Sky Lanterns are made of rice paper and a bamboo frame with a small fuel cell in the bottom, which when lit fills the lantern with hot air causing it to rise up into the air for around 15 minutes until it runs our of fuel and falls back gracefully to the ground. Legend has it that the Sky Lanterns were originally used by immigrants from mainland China who lived in Pingxi. They would often have to flee into the mountains to avoid bandits and robbers who pillage their village. After the danger had passed people who remained behind would release lanterns into the sky to tell the people in the mountains it was safe to return home. Now the most common thing to wish for is prosperity, wealth and happiness.


Witnessing the release of 300 simultaneous lanterns was a truly remarkable experience that cannot be had anywhere else in the world. I didn't think that things could be much better until I found out that our school was going to be taking part in our own large release of lanterns in front of a few thousand people. We gathered up our group and headed to the activity center where we were giving our lanterns and a marker so we could write our own well wishes and send them up the the heavens above. My own personal lantern carried a few messages up to the sky: 祝全部人萬事如意 zhu quan bu ren wan shi ru yi (Hoping everyones 10,000 wishes come true) 祝每個人都找愛 zhu meige ren dou zhao ai (wishing everyone finds love), and of course because I am in Taiwan and a part of Taiwan's culture my final wish was 請給我錢 qing gei wo qian (Please give me money). The lantern behind me in the picture is the one large lantern that was sent up by our school. It was huge (around two stories tall) but still went up into the air without a hitch. As the lanterns were released into the air I could only think that this was by far the best cultural experiences that I have experience in Taiwan since my arrival. I hope that I am able to experience more of these moments before my stay here in Taipei comes to and end. The final picture seen below is my lantern lifting off into the air along with the others from our school during the tumult of cheers, oooowws and aaaahhhs.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, Jake! How magical! Thanks for sharing this beautiful tradition.

A. Deb

MLB in Taiwan said...

wanna join another folk activity
in south taiwan?
http://blog.sina.com.tw/888mlb/article.php?pbgid=48151&entryid=576225

Fred.

Anonymous said...

That was a great video and description of your evening at the lantern festival. Nice that you got to be a part of (rather than just witnessing) a meaningful traditional experience. We are counting down the days (26) until we get to join you and share in some of Taipei's cultural richness. - Dad

Anonymous said...

Hi Jake,

Awesome pictures and I loved the video. On a play on words, the lanterns looked like a bunch of pixies flying in the night sky. Kind of neat that the spelling of the name of the city resembles the word pixie - Pingxi.

I am so jealous. It is an awesome sight to behold on film, I can't begin to imagine the feelings you must of felt.

The writer in me wants to know, what kind of feelings did that sight invoke? Did you have an epiphany type moment?

Take care and stay safe!

Carrie

Anonymous said...

This is mainly a problem with input (the getKey() command is limited to one key at a time, and can handle modifier keys such as 2nd only indirectly) and graphics (which are limited to only about 2/3 of the screen the rest is taken up by the menu and status bar).. [url=http://www.mulberryhandbagssale.co.uk]Mulberry Alexa Bags[/url] "Great and Unfortunate Things" demonstrates beyond all reasonable doubt just how little Spartacus has when you cut out the titillation. [url=http://www.goosecoatsale.ca]canada goose online[/url] Cckpdcveh
[url=http://www.pandorajewelryvip.co.uk]pandora bracelets sale[/url] Qolnsiuqg http://www.officialcanadagooseparkae.com yfhhulsii