The Lantern Festival, or Yuan Hsiao Chieh, falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It is also referred to as Shang Yuan and Hsiao Kuo Nien ("the Minor New Year") in Chinese.

The Chinese have celebrated the Lantern Festival since the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-221 A.D.). On this day, just about everybody would carry colorful lanterns and then gather in a public place for a big "lantern fair".

This festival is also a time to eat filled glutinous rice dumplings which, like the festival itself, are called yuan hsiao. The dumplings are round, and symbolize family unity and completeness.

Lantern Festivals in Taiwan are organized by the city government and the national government. The Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Taichung city governments have been organizing their own lantern festivals for many years now. Taipei City's lantern festival is held every year around the Chang Kai Shek Memorial. Kaohsiung City's is held around Kaohsiung Harbor and Taichung City's is held in Taichung Park.

The national government organized lantern festival is held in different locations every year. This year, Taichung City was given the honor of hosting the Taiwan Lantern Festival. Since Taichung City has been organizing it's own lantern festival every year, lantern festivals are being held in three different locations simultaneously.

The Lantern Festival at the Taichung Metropolitan Park is sponsored by the Taichung City Government with the cooperation of the private sector. Likewise with the one held along the Ching Kuo Boulevard with the main attraction at the park across Nova and the one near the Science Museum along Taichungkang Rd.

This article also appears at http://www.iacc.com.tw/newsletter/2003-02-03.htm