Kaohsiung Lantern Festival / 高雄燈會藝術節
Kaohsiung Lantern Festival
◎English Text by Lin Fang-ju
◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui, Kao Chia-tse, Jhang Jian Ying-hao
The 2010 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival was held on the banks of the Love River and Glory Pier. It lasted for 16 days and is a highlight of Taiwanese culture. Every year the festival attracts millions of visitors. Marking the end of the Chinese New Year, it is symbolic of the return to school and work and is thought to be a smaller New Year celebration. During the festival people traditionally view the creative lantern displays, solve riddles and eat Yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls). During the 2010 Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung, kids enjoyed wearing colorful lantern hats. This year the featured lantern was the Good Luck Tiger. Kaohsiung is the only city in Taiwan that features hat Lanterns. These lanterns were lit with colorful LED lights that emitted various color combinations. It was a unique and popular souvenir.
This year's theme lantern was the environmentally friendly Tiger of Fortune, a large tiger that appears to be standing over the sea. The festival's slogan, "May the Tiger of Fortune bring happiness to Greater Kaohsiung", brings hope, cheer and fulfillment in the New Year. Each night at 9:00, the grand harbor show of sound and lights would be presented. The show integrated fireworks, music, water dancing and the theme lantern. This year's music was exclusively composed for Kaohsiung's Lantern Festival by two-time Grammy winner Jamii Szmadzinsk. The opening performance on February 20th was particularly extraordinary as fireworks were set off simultaneously from a nearby skyscraper and from the Love River. It was a truly exciting audiovisual extravaganza, presented by an international team of experts. The firework shows always draw large audiences and contribute to the warm and cheerful, festive ambience.
The lantern festival displays are romantically situated along the banks of the Love River. Besides the theme lantern mounted on the water, there is a series of artistic lantern displays. Every year the Kaohsiung lantern displays feature different themes. This year's themes included Happy Farm. The theme pays tribute to the world famous virtual farming game with pumpkin, carrot and various other vegetable lanterns. There were twelve romantic lanterns decorated particularly for Valentine's Day. There were also a number of lanterns that presented little tigers playing ball. The International Exhibition showcased lanterns from six countries which including traditional Chinese lanterns, lanterns from Japan, South Korea, India, the Philippines and the U.S.A. Each of the international exhibitions added a truly multicultural flavor and opportunity to learn about different customs.
A special stage was set up in the middle of Love River and featured international performances. There were number of foreign dance troupes and acrobatics from Mongolia. These performances are a very popular part of the festival. Another new feature of this year's lantern festival was the Dan Li Gin Exhibition. People lined up to get the opportunity to see the super star's classic performance. Kaohsiung Lantern Festival should not be missed and will be back again next year, with new and exciting themes and shows!
高雄燈會藝術節
◎文／冠函
◎攝影／鮑忠暉、高嘉澤、張簡英豪
如果您在燈會期間造訪高雄，就會看到許多小朋友頭上都戴著一頂七彩發亮的「如意虎」。今年的高雄燈會把以往慶祝元宵應景的小提燈變成全台唯一頭戴式燈籠，採用LED七彩小燈，不僅可做多色變化，更成為搶手的紀念品。
到台灣的遊客，不會錯過被台灣視為重要節慶的元宵節，因為這天是春節的最後一天，之後一切恢復常態，所以民間會熱烈慶祝，有「小過年」之稱。體驗過賞花燈、猜燈謎及吃元宵等三大傳統民俗活動，才能不虛此行。
2010高雄燈會藝術節主辦地點在高雄光榮碼頭、愛河兩岸，長達16天，獨具一格的水岸城市的浪漫氣氛，每到燈會期間總吸引數百萬遊客湧入賞燈，除了全台唯一的海上主燈外，包含了港灣聲光劇場秀、國際特色燈區和開心農場創意燈海等一連串的藝術饗宴，再加上璀燦的海上高空煙火秀，讓參觀的民眾沉浸在幸福、熱鬧的節慶氛圍裡。
位於海上的環保主燈高雄福虎，以老虎立姿呈現，命名為「福虎生豐、幸福高都」，期盼帶來虎年福氣，並迎向豐收、幸福的2010年。燈會期間每日晚上九點上演由兩屆葛萊美音樂得主Jamii Szmadzinski為高雄創作的專屬音樂，加上精心設計的煙火秀、福虎主燈、夢幻水舞等，打造盛大繽紛動人心弦的港灣聲光劇場秀。
值得一提的是，2月20日開幕當天別出心裁的規畫，首次大樓煙火秀與海上煙火同步施放，多位國際級大師攜手打造出震撼人心的戶外聲光劇場。
主辦單位還規劃六國國際特色花燈區，除突破以往有中式傳統燈會氣氛外，同時展出日本、韓國、印度、菲律賓、美國等國家的特色燈籠，儼然成為熱鬧繽紛的世界地球村，讓民眾一次遊遍六個國家的燈節文化，琳瑯滿目的異國風情燈籠現場展示，體驗到不同文化的風俗民情。
年年有新意的高雄燈會，今年設計「開心農場」燈區，總計十二處的主題燈海，配合西洋情人節，營造了愛與幸福的氣氛，並將時下最流行的網路農場實體化，在愛河旁用燈飾、燈籠營造出南瓜、胡蘿蔔、蔬果等，栩栩如生非常討喜，熱鬧應景的小老虎在樹叢邊戲球，不同的可愛表情，每個主題都吸引參觀民眾駐足拍照。
另外，高雄燈會今年別樹一幟在愛河建造一座水上舞台，邀請國外團體每晚上演多變的異國舞蹈，與蒙古高空特技嘉年華共同譜出讓人驚艷的高空特技，並結合水岸高空煙火的施放，是高雄燈會期間的重頭戲之一。今年的創舉還包括規劃已故歌星「鄧麗君紀念館」，這也是此次燈會超人氣據點，吸引民眾大排長龍，緬懷巨星的風采，回味雋永老歌。
每年都有新奇體驗的高雄燈會藝術節，如果您還沒參觀過，明年可千萬別再錯過了！