The Xinpu Lanterns Welcome Sky-mending Day activity was held on February 27 at the arts square of Xinpu Township’s Tianxin Outer Ring Road. Groups from 28 organizations, communities and schools formed a procession, performing as they walked or carrying lanterns, the procession attracting 10,000 spectators. The highlight was the 88-metre long Xinpu version of the Liancheng Dragon Parade of Fujian, China.
Magistrate Chiu said that this year, apart from the Xinpu version of the Liancheng Dragon Parade and the 100 meter long dragon from Hukou which were particularly notable, with Hsinchu County reaching the ICF Top 7 intelligent cities, the county government specially made a 5-metre wide and 5-metre long intelligent city lantern with the theme of the Muller’s Barbet (Megalaima nuchalis) and invited children and performing groups to perform technology dances, the aim being to bring the county good luck when the winning intelligent city is named, showing Hsinchu County’s determination to become the top intelligent city in the world.
Hsinchu County is not only an intelligent “city,” but also a healthy one. Hsinchu Healthy Industrial Park Hospital will have a cancer center, a cardiovascular center, a stroke center, a critical care center and other medical facilities established by China Medical University Hospital and are expected to boost the level of medical resources significantly in the greater Hsinchu area.
The Xinpu Lanterns Welcome Sky-mending Day activity has four main lanterns- Nuwa Mends the Sky, Four Heavenly Guardians and 1000-hand Guanyin, God of Fire and Rain, and God of Wind and Thunder- with this year the Year of the Monkey, two Journeys to the West-themed lanterns were made, Sun Wu-kong Battle Bull Demon King and Sun Wu-kong and Buddha.
As well as large lanterns, the procession included one of Hsinchu County’s excellent troupes-Jumeng Dancer, a folk arts troupe from Ansai County, Xi-an and Shaanxi, the Hsinchu troupe of the Ten Drum Art Percussion Group, and traditional temple fair folk art formations, including an LED Guangdong lion formation, a God General formation, Electric-Techno Neon Gods and also performances from local community groups.