Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the area. To get to the trailhead from the train station, cross the tracks and climb to the
first level. Head left and when the road splits turn right and head up the narrow lane
through tiny Er Keng Village. There are English signs for the trailhead just past the vil-
lage.
LANTERN FESTIVAL
Over the past decade the
Lantern Festival
(Yuánxiāo Jié) has emerged as one of
the most popular holiday events in Taiwan. Of all the ancient Chinese festivals, it
has best been re-imagined for the modern age, with spectacular light shows, live
concerts and giant glowing mechanical lanterns on show across the island. Yet one
of the best spectacles is still the simplest and most traditional: the sky lantern re-
lease in Pingxi.
Atiāndēng(sky lantern) is a large paper lantern with a combustible element at-
tached to the underside. When the element is lit, hot air rises into the lantern sack
and the lantern floats into the sky like a hot-air balloon.
In Pingxi people have been sending sky lanterns into the air for generations.
Long ago, the remote mountainous villages were prone to attacks from bandits and
marauders. Sky lanterns were used to signal to others, often women and children,
to get packing and head into the high hills at the first sign of trouble. But today it's
all about the sublime thrill of watching glowing colourful objects float up against a
dark sky.
During the festival, which is spread over two weekends (around February, but
this varies with the lunar calendar), there are shuttle buses all day to the site. After
dark, lanterns are released en masse every 20 minutes.
If you wish to light your own lantern, remember first to write some special wish
on it. As it floats away to the heavens repeat your wishes to yourself… and pray
your lantern doesn't burn up prematurely and crash down into the crowds, or light
a tent on fire, as occasionally happens.
Which gets us to the last point. Over the past two years, the local township has
allowed the sale and release of sky lanterns at any time, and anywhere. The sur-
rounding forests are now littered with the ugly shells of spent lanterns and it is only
a matter of time before there is a major fire. If you wonder why we endorse the Lan-
tern Festival release, it's because at this time all roads to the area are closed, fire
trucks are on hand to deal with any incidents, there are after-festival clean-up
crews, and it is also a very wet time of the year (making the risk of a forest fire neg-
ligible). During the rest of the year there are zero precautions. Act responsibly if
you visit the area.
