九份紅燈籠祭 Jiufen Red Lantern Festival

"Jiufen" is a mountain city located in the northeast corner of Taiwan. It was once prosperous due to its gold mines and was known as the "Asian Gold City". Although the mines were exhausted and the city declined for a while, its unique architecture and historical culture have attracted the attention of domestic and foreign tourists, bringing new vitality to the region and becoming a famous tourist attraction in Taiwan.

WHERE THE LANTERN GOES, HAPPINESS FOLLOWS
In the early days of gold mining (1890), there were no streetlights. Residents would hang a lantern in front of their homes to guide miners who worked late at night to return home safely. This custom has continued to this day. In Jiufen, lanterns symbolize "safety, brightness, and reunion". In 2005, to improve the lighting for night tourism in Jiufen, "red lanterns" were hung up throughout the city, making it an internationally renowned destination for night tourism.

So, from the lantern that guarded safety and reunion in the past, to the present-day saying "where the lantern goes, happiness follows". This is the significance of the red lantern in Jiufen. It is not only a decoration but also a lantern full of blessings and has become an important cultural asset of Jiufen.

INNOVATIVE FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES THAT INHERIT THE LOCAL CULTURE OF BLESSINGS - "JIUFEN RED LANTERN FESTIVAL"
We held a month-long event that combines the traditional "mountain patrol" prayer ceremony and the symbolic meaning of "red lanterns" in Jiufen's gold mining history. We created five lantern-themed installations and updated the lanterns throughout the area, giving the streetscape a fresh look and creating a festival activity that combines history, culture, and tradition unique to Jiufen. Among them, we designed a prayer-based "lantern patrol prayer night tour" so that tourists who come to this place can be moved by the warmth and blessings brought by the red lanterns. This festival will also develop into a fixed annual event in the future, continuing to spread the happiness brought by lanterns.