Year 2010 is on the 2/28/2010 (Late because of Leap 5th Lunar Month in 2009)
Year 2011 is on the 2/17/2011
Year 2012 is on the 2/06/2012
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival since Han
Dynasty more than 2000 years ago. In the early Tan 
Dynasty (618-907AD), it was called the Shan-Yuan 
Festival, because of Taoism. in the late Tan Dynasty, it was called the Yuan-Xiao 
Festival. It was called Lantern Night in the Sun 
Dynasty (960-1297 A.D.). The Lantern Festival was used in Ching 
Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). According to Taoism, Shan-Yuan (first period of the year) Festival is the birthday of the Heaven Officer who blesses human luck. On the 15th lunar day of 7th lunar month is Chung-Yuan 
(middle period of the year) Festival, which is the birthday of the Hell Officer who has right to pardon ghosts. On this day, all the ghosts can leave hell to human world for food. So the 7th lunar month is called Ghost Month. Many Chinese won't get married in this month. The 15th lunar day of 10th lunar month is Xia-Yaun 
(last period of the year) Festival. This day is the birthday of the Water Officer who can rescue people in trouble. On the 15th lunar day of the year, some Chinese families worship the Heaven Officer of Taoism and pray for luck at home or temple during the daytime. Traditionally, Chinese should decorate the light lanterns around the house and children carry the candle paper lantern on the street at night. It might the safety concern, not too many follow this custom today. In stead, many people will attend different activities of the Lantern Festival.
The lantern displays can be found in the town center square and temples. Usually. there is the lantern competition at the temple. Traditional lanterns are made by paper. They can make the lantern tuning around by the heat circulation from the candle inside. Today the light of the lantern is from the electricity. People like to design lantern using zodiac animals, historical figures, saint and gods of Taoism or Buddhism. Certainly, the current year's animal symbol of the Chinese calendar is most popular subject. Using the computer tool today, they can design the lantern with different movements, the different colors of light and even using the laser light with special visual and sound effects.
The Lantern Carnival
In Taiwan, the government builds a giant zodiac animal lantern more than 15 kilometer high on the square of a major city every year to promote the touring business since 1990. Around the major lantern, many lanterns from different grade schools, organizations, and foreign countries will be displayed on different sections for competition. There is the parade and traditional art performance beginning at afternoon till the opening light ceremony at night. The laser show will perform with 5 or 6 subjects after open light ceremony. The fireworks will come in the end. The lantern riddle game is usually sponsored by the temple. People give the correct answer for the riddle will received a gift. It's always very crowded when the game begins. Food, store, games, gift shops, performance are available around the lantern displays for people and tourists. This lantern carnival will be held more than a week.
The Sky Lantern
The sky lantern probably was invented before Late Han Dynasty. A prime minister Kung-Ming used sky lantern for military liaison purpose during Three Kingdom epoch (221A.D.). Some people still call the sky lantern as Kung-Ming lantern. During the night of lantern festival, Some people in Taiwan will fly the sky lantern by writing their wishes on the paper lantern and pray their wishes come true. Long time ago, people thought the lantern will fly up to the heaven. The god of heaven will receive their messages and will give them blessing.
There is a story for this custom. Once a village was attacked by the private. When the private ship came, people ran to and hide in the mountain. When private left, some one in the town flew the sky lantern to tell people in the mountain safe to come home. It happened on the 15th lunar day in that year. Now people do the same way to depict their peace, safety and without accident.
The Multiple Firecracker Launcher
Another special event for young people in Taiwan is the Mass Rocket-Firecracker Artillery. People standing in the open square area, surrounding with many rocket-firecracker launchers and waiting for rocket-firecracker to shoot on them. Therefore people will wear helmet, goggles, face mask, rain coat, gloves, long pants and boots to protect their body. They said to hit by the rocket-firecracker will bring good luck to them.
There is a story for this custom. Once there is a plague among the village, no medicine can stop the disease. Finally, people brought out the idol statue of the god on the sedan chair from the temple and paraded to every street in the village. They exploded the firecrackers and continuously burned the incense as long the statue of the god pass for three days. On the 15th day of the first lunar month, the plague disappeared. People gave the credit to the god. People have their next generations to continue this religious custom by exploding the firecrackers. Once they made a firecrackers for 13 kilometer long, which was more than 200,000 firecrackers. Certainly, it took hours to finish the explosion.
The 8-meter main lantern, which carried the words "Sky Lanterns lighten both sides of the Straits," ascends on Monday evening, February 9, 2009 in Taipei, along with more than 3,000 other lanterns bearing written wishes. Flying "sky lanterns" is a traditional local way to mark the Chinese Lantern Festival.
Taiwan celebrated the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival, which ends the lunar New Year holiday, Monday evening with local people flying "sky lanterns" and wishing peace and prosperity for cross-Straits relations.More than 3,000 lanterns bearing written wishes flew aloft in Pingxi, Taipei County -- a traditional local way to mark the festival.
The ascension of the 8-meter main lantern, which carried the words "Sky Lanterns lighten both sides of the Straits," drew cheers from the crowds.
Lantern-makers and performers from Sichuan, a mainland province that was hit by a massive earthquake on May 12, were invited to the celebrations.
Wu Jiakui, one of the Sichuan lantern-makers, said he felt quite at home as the customs were basically the same on both sides of the Straits.
"What impressed me most is how well the traditional culture of the Chinese nation has been preserved here in Taiwan, in sky lantern making especially."
It was a rainy night to watch the releasing of large, balloon-shaped lanterns into sky. Hundreds slowly rise into air, creating beautiful, peaceful scene.
this is one of traditional events at "Taiwan Lanterns Festival" since 1990...
this is one of traditional events at "Taiwan Lanterns Festival" since 1990...
Pingsi is a rural township in the north eastern part of Taiwan. Located in a remote mountain area outside of Taipei and run through by Keelung river, it was a small coal mining town in the early 20th century.
Sky lanterns are traditionally lanterns made of oiled paper with a bamboo frame that contain a small candle or other combustible material (such as the fake prayer's paper money). When lit the candle heats the air and causes the lantern to rise into the air. Ideally the lantern floats back to the ground when the fuel for the flame is exhausted. Sky Lanterns are also known as "Kung Ming lanterns", since some say they were invented by Chu Ke-liang (also known as Kung Ming) during the Three Kingdoms period as way of communication during war time.
During Lantern Festival, all kinds of red and orange sky lanterns light the still night sky over the village of Pinghsi creating a scene of unusual beauty
The Food of Lantern Festival Eve
Lantern Festival is also called. Yuan-Xiao Festival. This is because Chinese eat Yuan-Xiao on this day. This custom originated from the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth century, then became popular during the Tang and Song Dynasty.
Yuan-Xiao
just like Tang-Yuan 
. They are made of sweet rice flour into sticky glutinous balls. They can be filled in with sesame, red-bean or peanut butter paste. Usually, they are severed with sugar water. But some people still make salty Tang-Yuan. The difference between Yuan-Xiao and Tang-Yuan is the way they are made and cooked. This is because that Chinese in different geographic area prepare the food in different way. Chinese call the one they eat on Winter Solstice Day is Tang-Yuan. The one they eat on the Lantern festival is called Yuan-Xiao.
Thanks to:
Article: The Lantern Festival,
Picture1 : Sky Lantern Festival 2009 in Taiwan
Picture2 : Sky Lantern Festival 2006 in Taiwan
Picture3 : Lantern for Lantern Festival in 2009 in Taiwan
Picture4 : Lantern for Lantern Festival in 2006 in Taiwan
Picture5 : Food for Lantern Festival
