We have arrived at Pingxi town in Taiwan, the famous destination for Sky Lanterns. This is the beautiful little town where they hold the amazing Sky Lantern Festival annually before and around Chinese New Year.
Interesting history:
The Sky lanterns were initially known as Kongming lanterns which were invented by Zhuge Liang in (181-234) during the Three Kingdoms period.
The lanterns were used to convey military messages.
It started as a tradition from 1821 onwards where settlers from China arrived in the Pingxi district and began building villages. Because these little villages were vulnerable to brigands, the villagers would hide in the mountains especially when the last harvest had been completed. This is the period where they get ambushed or robbed most because the bandits would be driven by hunger. After the winter had passed, the men in the village would release the lanterns to signify safe passage for the villagers to return from their hideouts in the mountains.
A miner's cafe for lunch
No! We did not have kitty for lunch!!!
A typical miner's lunch. Rice, a huge piece of pork, an egg, veggies and black fungus.
Pingxi Old Street
Railway station
There was a small coal miner's museum along Pingxi Old Street and lots of interesting photos taken of the old days.
There was a line of course to get your own lantern. No worries, not a long queue at all. Just be patient and you will be presented with your own lantern to design. We received a red one. So Hubs and I set to work to write and draw on all 4 sides.
Of course I had to remember everyone in the family and wished them well.
Painting Mount Kinabalu
It was drizzling but that did not drizzle our excited spirits.
The lady who lighted our lantern was such an expert. I was so afraid that the wind or rain might set our lantern on fire! Nope. That did not happen.
One.................. Two.................Three..........................!!!!
Up up and away. Byeeeeee my darling lantern. You carry all our good wishes all the way to heaven, okay?
These 2 photos with frames were taken by an enthusiastic lady who wanted to take our picture. She came running after us and so we gladly granted her wish!
Pingxi Police Station
Egg shells on tree branches
Pingxi Old Street is really a quiet and charming old-fashioned town. It is unique because this town is built into a hill with a railway track running right through it by the shops. Lots of food and souvenirs here. I was just most excited about letting a lantern into the sky. One strike off my bucket list! Thank goodness it didn't rain that heavy; it was bearable for us even though we got pretty wet.
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