TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Tourism Administration Friday unveiled the main lantern for this year's Taiwan Lantern Festival, which will be held in Taoyuan.
Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said the theme of the 36th annual festival is "Lights Linking a Thousand Ponds Across Taoyuan." Chen added the main lantern is titled “Infinite Paradise” and was designed by artist Lee Ming-dao (李明道), also known as Akibo.
Chen said the lantern features a modern, abstract infinity symbol design, combined with spherical and geometric shapes to evoke a futuristic theme park full of technological marvels. He said the lantern was inspired by amusement park elements like roller coasters and water slides.
It stands 18 meters tall and incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as AI and motion capture to showcase an ever-changing visual narrative. Chen said it conveys themes of sustainable development and connections across eras.
Lee, while introducing the design of the main lantern, explained that it coincides with Team Taiwan's baseball team’s victory in the WBSC Premier12 tournament. To celebrate this achievement, Lee said four cheerleaders used motion capture technology to integrate dynamic visuals into the main lantern show.
Chen and Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-cheng (張善政), among others, participated in creating peach-themed emojis. Several international exchange students also contributed by writing blessings for Taiwan in their native languages.
Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said each year the most eagerly anticipated lantern is the small handheld lantern for children based on the Chinese zodiac. This year's lantern features the snake as its theme.
Designed around the concept of a flexible toy snake, the lantern’s body consists of a seven-segment movable structure. Each segment can bend at a 90-degree angle, allowing users to assemble it into numbers from zero to nine.
In addition, half of the handheld lanterns have been designed to light up using external power banks. By connecting them to a Type-C cable, users can illuminate the lantern without relying on disposable batteries, contributing to sustainability and environmental protection.
The Taiwan Lantern Festival wll light up at 7 p.m. on Lantern Festival night, Feb. 12, 2025, with the festivities continuing until Feb. 23. The main lantern is located near Taoyuan Airport MRT's A18 station and will present a light show every 30 minutes.
