Author Chris van Raak
Photographer Chris van Laak
The Queen looks out over the sea, as she does every day. Today, the crowd that has come to visit her is larger than usual, but she takes it with graceful patience, as always.
It is a holiday, one of the highest of the year, and a visit to the Yehliu Geopark（野柳地質公園） in New Taipei City’s Wanli District(萬里區) — with its main attraction, a uniquely shaped rock resembling a serenely looking female, hence called the Queen’s Head—is a bucket-list item for foreign visitors and Taiwanese alike.
For many of them though, Yehliu is just one stop on the way to the day’s main attraction—the Lantern Festival celebrations in Shifen, located in a scenic valley between the northeast coast and metropolitan Taipei, where they will release more than waist-high sky lanterns sporting individual auspicious messages.
Stopover in Yehliu(野柳）
Yehliu（野柳） is worth a day trip in its own right, but the park is also a great place for a short stopover. The cape that gives the site its name is on a rugged, 1.7km long peninsular that is only a few meters wide at its narrowest point. The Queen’s Head(女王頭） is just one of its countless spectacular rock features that were formed by erosion and give this part of the coast its distinctive character.
In geological terms, the Queen’s Head is a hoodoo rock. Its, or rather her, upper part consists of compact rock, while the lower part is formed of lighter, compressed sediment that is easier for the ocean to wash away. She is the park’s main attraction and should be visited as soon as possible because she will not be there forever—at least on a geological time scale.
The forces at play in shaping this landscape are palpable to every visitor. The wind and the waves pound the cliffs even on a sunny day, and even more so on the about 200 days per year that Yehliu sees precipitation. No wonder the early Spanish seafarers navigating these treacherous waters called the site “Puerto Diabolo”—the “Devil’s Port,” or, phonetically translated into Chinese, Yehliu.
Discovering the northeast
The most important among the centuries-old settlements along the northeast coast has always been Keelung（基隆）; nowadays it is one of Taiwan’s largest ports of call for cruise ships. Naturally, there is a lot to discover, but if there is just time for another brief stopover, Zhengbin Fishing Port（正濱漁港） is the place to be. Lined with colorful houses, it is a great place to relax and have a meal; it is especially popular among visitors from Malaysia and Singapore.
The hinterland of the northeast coast, however, remained sparsely populated until the middle of the 19th century. Those who eventually settled in the valley of the upper Keelung River and the green hills surrounding it found themselves in a harsh environment, and it is no surprise that a certain millennia-old Chinese custom took hold here more than elsewhere in Taiwan.
Lanterns for good fortune
Fifteen days into the year, according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, tradition prescribes that people release lanterns into the sky, hoping that their prayers will fly to heaven and bring them safety and prosperity.
The origins of the festival date back to the Han Dynasty when Emperor Wen(漢文帝) ordered all households to adopt the older Buddhist tradition of lighting lanterns for good fortune. It has been celebrated in many places in East Asia ever since, but the way Shifen celebrates it is on a different scale.
Shifen is known around Taiwan as the town of the Lantern Festival, and the answer to the question “What is the best time to visit?” doesn’t need to be asked.
The big day
On the day of the festival, visitors from near and far flock to Shifen to dabble in the auspicious activity. Those arriving in the afternoon, after visiting some other sights in the area, find the small town already full of life. The festive hustle and bustle is centered on Shifen’s Old Street（十分老街）, which is a sight in its own right. Right in the middle of the street, which is narrow by all standards, a railway line built over 100 years ago to facilitate mining cuts the town in two.
Visitors are unperturbed by railway traffic though; passenger trains run up and down the valley only once per hour and, here at least, they do so at walking speed. This leaves enough time for those who cannot wait for the main event at night to release individual lanterns bought from street vendors (who, by the way, also stand ready year-round).
Meanwhile, those who wait their turn patiently can learn how it is done: You first choose your lantern, the body of which is made of biodegradable rice paper in varying colors. Under it, there is a fuel cell containing enough wax for about 20 minutes in the air. You write your auspicious message, and then you pose for a photo with it. After the wax is lit, you hold the lantern down with your feet until the air inside has expanded enough to propel it upward.
Then it is time to let go. As your lantern rises slowly but steadily, you make a prayer or wish and watch it rise into the sky. Each lantern has to be operated by two to four people, so you better team up.
Magic Night
The procedure at the main event is basically the same, just that there are hundreds of lanterns being released simultaneously. This creates a truly mesmerizing atmosphere that everybody has been looking forward to all day.
But first, those who have a reservation are led to their spot at the main festival site by volunteers. Even though thousands take part, and their movement needs to be coordinated, it never feels like an impersonal mass event, thanks to the stellar organization and the welcoming smiles on the faces of the many volunteers.
As the day turns into night, the crowd swells and the anticipation rises. Dance troupes and traditional drummers perform on stage as everybody gets ready.
Then it is time. Your lantern is lit and you let go of it. It begins its steady rise, as do hundreds of others. The sky above you turns into a sea of lights; the lanterns are dancing gently in the wind as they’re getting smaller and smaller.
Good fortune for the year
The event truly lives up to its promise. Many of those taking part are “long-timers”; here is where they get their annual dose of good fortune. Meanwhile, many newcomers are already making plans for next year as they leave the festival ground to make way for another batch of people who will release their lanterns next.
However, to those who cannot make it to Shifen for the Lantern Festival, the town still offers a lot: The scenic railway is there year-round, as are the green hills that feature some fine hiking trails. Along those trails, by the way, it is rare to find a lantern that has fallen from the sky prematurely.
The local authorities also do a stellar job cleaning the area after the festival.
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