TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Instagrammer captured this spectacular sea of 16,000 hand-painted lanterns as Yunlin County's Douliu City showcases its annual lantern festival that runs through March.
In recent years, the Yunlin County Douliu City Office has hung up lanterns painted by school students on Taiping Old Street (太平老街) at the end of each year to create a lantern gallery. This year, the office coordinated with 18 elementary and middle schools in Douliu to hang 16,000 lanterns over Taiping Old Street and Zhonghua Road, reported UDN.
At 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2023, the office held an official lighting ceremony on Taiping Old Street next to Fude Temple (福德宮). The exhibition will last until March 31, and the public is encouraged to enjoy the lanterns and take photographs.
Douliu Mayor Lin Sheng-chueh (林聖爵) told the newspaper that the themes of this year’s painted lanterns include the Year of the Dragon, Happiness in Douliu, Douliu Pengshu Forest Park, and Heavenly Steed Soaring Across the Skies. Lin said that through the special themes connected with the area, the thousands of lanterns over Taiping Old Street have added creativity and character to the city.
Instagram user Molly888666 toured the old street and on Dec. 28 posted a photo of the thousands of colorful orbs clustered together, describing the scene as a "Pokemon fantasy world." She recommended taking photos after midnight when there are fewer cars.
The total length of the exhibition is more than 1.6 km, she said. Her post garnered over 7,000 likes and 119 comments.
(Instagram, Molly888666 photo)
(Instagram, Molly888666 photo)
(Instagram, Molly888666 photo)
(Instagram, Molly888666 photo)
(Instagram, Molly888666 photo)
