Awaken with the earth at Taichung’s “Realm of Jingzhe” lantern expo

Awaken with the earth at Taichung’s “Realm of Jingzhe” lantern expo

2026-02-23

The 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival has kicked off at Taichung Central Park. Not to be missed is the “Realm of Jingzhe” exhibition area conceptualized by the city government’s Construction Bureau. At the entrance, a 5m-tall head of a Pegasus welcomes visitors into a mythical realm where life stirs at the first blush of spring. Each section in the exhibition area features an immersive experience of dazzling lights and mesmerizing soundscapes, taking visitors to the otherworld, at the heart of the city.

This otherworldly exhibition area, the “Realm of Jingzhe” at the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival was conceptualized by the Taichung City Government’s Construction Bureau. This year’s Lantern Festival is closely followed by the lunisolar term of Jingzhe, or “awakening of insects.” It’s the prelude to Spring Equinox, when life stirs from its slumber. At the entrance, a 5m-tall head of an illuminated flying horse ushers visitors into a mythical realm, where adventure awaits.

Chen Ta-tien, the head of the Construction Bureau said the imagery of a Pegasus taking flight to kick of the Year of the Horse represents the first thunders announcing the upcoming spring season. And thus life reawakens. The wrought-iron centerpiece, with glittering fairy lights, is like a spirit animal leading visitors to an otherworld full of vitality, where life force emerges from the depths of the earth.

Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
We planned nine themed lantern exhibitions in this area. Each and every one is accompanied by its very own soundtrack and immersive scene design. From the entrance, where the head of a horse takes visitors in, we pass through a rainforest and a Mayan-themed lantern area. We will also witness civilizations from thousands of years ago. We hope that visitors will enjoy the lanterns and art, while also interacting with each scene and fully immerse themselves.

Entering the mythical rainforest, divine creatures appear to linger in the foliage under the flickering lights, taking visitors to a secret world where the first blush of spring is revealed. Further in, along a vine-covered walkway by the ark, we enter an ancient lost civilization that continues to inspire. Mayan gods stand proud on the interactive stage, filling visitors with awe.

Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
There’s a platform in the Mayan cultural area. Visitors can watch the show and also interact with the characters. We want everyone to enjoy the immersive experience of interacting with dancers from thousands of years ago.

Hsieh Yu-ching
Curator
Upon encountering our lost ark, visitors can imagine just how humans used to yearn for the continuation of life. So we also hope that after the audience leaves, they can reflect on how to cherish our planet Earth. One must understand that we must cherish all that we have, because thousands of years ago, humans only wanted to live, so we must cherish the earth.

The exhibition doesn’t compromise on safety over presentation. To ensure that visitors can walk safely, signal lights are installed along the path for visitors. The exhibition areas’ light design also prioritizes safety.

Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
Along the walkways and around the forested areas, we designed the lighting in such a way that the lights are brighter. That way, parents can rest assured that their kids are safe playing in this well-lit area.

The 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival, with the Taichung City Government’s “Realm of Jingzhe” brings museum-worthy art to the masses. With immersive experiences amid the urban landscape, visitors can feel the vigor of a galloping flying horse amid inctricate light designs and soundscapes at Taichung Central Park this annual festival of lights.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#LNY #lanternfestival #YearoftheHorse #taichung #taiwanevents

天馬奔馳! 中台灣元宵燈會"驚蟄界" 沉浸式感官之旅

2026-02-23

2026中台灣元宵燈會，在中央公園盛大登場，由建設局打造策畫的驚蟄界燈區，入口處設置一尊五公尺以鐵件打造的馬首，象徵天馬奔馳，每個燈區也結合燈光音效與表演藝術，要讓參觀遊客，感受沉浸式體驗。

台中市政府建設局，策畫的主題燈區，驚蟄界亮眼登場，五公尺的馬首座落在入口處，可以透過光影流動，揭開異世界序幕，進入跨時空奇幻之旅。

參觀驚蟄界燈區，建設局長陳大田表示，今年為馬年，以天馬奔馳為主題，象徵春雷乍響，萬物甦醒，入口處的馬首引領區，以鐵件工藝結合光影，宛如揭開異世界的序章，引領民眾感受生命力，自土地深處甦醒的震憾。

[[台中市政府建設局長陳大田]]
“我們這一次本燈區有規劃了九大主題燈區，每一區都搭配專屬的音樂，跟情境設計跟展演，我們從入口的馬首引領，一路上帶著我們去沉浸在這些雨林，我們會走到馬雅的舊的文化燈區，我們也會到其它相關的，到千年以前的文化世界，希望民眾可以欣賞燈光藝術，也可以以場景來做互動，融入在其中。”

走進聖獸雨林區，在若隱若現的光影中，彷彿能夠看見古生物在林間穿梭觀望，引領參觀民眾走進一處萬物共生春回大地的秘境。再往裡頭走，沿著方舟小徑與藤蔓浮生設計的小徑，失落且神祕的古文明異象逐漸顯現，來到燈區中段，馬雅神域，互動舞台，讓民眾沉浸體驗。

[[台中市政府建設局長陳大田]]
“在我們馬雅文化區，有一個高台，大家可以看著他的表演，也可以跟他做一個互動，這一次在我們的馬雅文化地區，就讓大家來感受，千年的文化跟舞者跟大家互動的沉浸。”

[[策展人謝侑靜]]
“在民眾看到我們遺失方舟的時候，他可以去想像，人類曾經是多麼渴望生命的延續，那麼我們也希望，觀展人離開以後，可以去省思去珍惜愛惜地球，他要知道的是，你要珍惜的這一切，曾經數千萬年前，人類只為了存留，那麼我們如何去愛護我們的這個大地。”

美麗的燈區也有貼心的設計，為了讓民眾行的安全，參觀動線更清楚，燈區會依場景設置光環境。

[[台中市政府建設局長陳大田]]
“所以我們在沿線步道，跟周邊的這些樹林間，我們會透過一些燈光設計，把光環境做一些加強，一方面讓親子在遊玩的時候，更明顯更明亮再來也更安全。”

2026中台灣燈會結合藝術策展，建設局打造驚蟄界燈區，讓參觀民眾體驗沉浸式體驗與城市景觀，遊客來到中央公園展區，感受天馬奔馳，隨著光影舞蹈和音樂，親身感受燈會饗宴。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Chang Ching-chung
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Yunlin man hurls dog down building, causing severe injuries

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An injured dog wouldn’t stop wailing. A rescuer arrived and found the tan-colored dog lying on the ground. Almost miraculously, the dog stood on its own legs again after a little more than an hour, despite the pain.

The rescuer used cardboard as makeshift supporting equipment, and wrapped the dog in a towel before taking it to a vet. It sustained several life-threatening injuries, including a broken hip bone, a punctured liver and severe hemorrhage. The vet quoted the treatment at more than NT$50,000. The rescuer first paid the vet a little more than NT$30,000, before going to demand payment from the suspect who allegedly hurled the dog down the building. But it turns out that the suspect had already packed up and was about to escape. Fortunately, he was stopped.

- So you’re trying to escape so we can’t find you. Give me the money!
- I have none.
- So why did you hurl the dog down the building!

Residents of the apartment complex all condemn their neighbor for his cruelty.

- Utterly despicable. It almost died. I believe it might as well have died.

The apartment complex is located on Wenhua Road in Beigang, Yunlin. The suspect was identified by the police as a man surnamed Liu, who’s a renter. On Saturday evening, he took the dog home. By 1 a.m. Sunday, the dog fell from his residence on the third floor.

Liu
Suspect
I ate with friends and had a few drinks. I wanted to play with it, and pet it, but it bit me. I was really angry, so I lifted it and hurled it into a corner. I forgot that I didn’t close the window, so it fell. I’m really, really sorry.

Chen Chien-tang
Yunlin County Animal and Plant Disease Control Center
Article 25 of the Animal Protection Act can be applied with a sentence of imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of not less than NT$200,000 and not more than NT$2 million.

The severely injured dog’s health condition is still highly unstable. Meanwhile, the suspect of animal abuse, if found to be guilty, could face imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of up to NT$2 million. The county’s Animal and Plant Disease Control Center has filed the case with local prosecutors.

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Artist Sun Lin’s solo exhibition

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Sun Lin grew up in a farming village, where fields, rivers, and animals shaped his earliest artistic inspirations. This piece is one of his most well-known works, representing his major creative turning point in 2019.

Jill Hsiao
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For Lin’s 2026 solo exhibition, we want to showcase the significant transformation he has undergone over the years—from figurative to abstract. Behind me is a painting of a horse. First, because this year is the Year of the Horse; second, because we are displaying one of Lin’s representative works from his major turning point in 2019. In his 2019 creations, Lin had already begun making bold changes in his use of color. He no longer stuck strictly to the natural colors of objects. Instead, he started to reinterpret the hues of the scenes he observed. For example, the shiny colors of the horse are no longer the traditional tones one would expect. He began experimenting with adjustments in both water and color.

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Jill Hsiao
Capital Art artistic director
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The exhibition runs until March 7 at the Capital Art Center.

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Student returns to room full of mold after two-week LNY break

Living in Northern Taiwan, high humidity and frequent rains make water damage and mold a common household problem. That could be fine if you own your home, but if you rent and there is a problem, you are at the mercy of your landlord. A student from Taichung recently found himself in the depths of a moldy nightmare after returning to his rented place in Keelung after the Lunar New Year break. He opened the door to find everything in his room was covered in mold, water damage on the walls, and leaks leaving puddles on his desk. He tried contacting his landlord for help, but the landlord simply blamed everything on him, saying that he should’ve returned to Keelung during the break to ensure the dehumidifier was running. Needless to say, the student was speechless.

- I wrapped it up in three layers: Outer, middle and inner. They are all moldy.

This renter is deeply upset. He had wrapped his memory foam pillow in protective layers, including an adorable Snoopy pillow cover. But that wasn’t enough to keep mold at bay during his two-week Lunar New Year break, when he was away.

- There’s water stains all along there.
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- Yeah.

The walls are covered in water stains too, and many items in the room besides the pillow are moldy and nasty. The mattress has large patches of mold and the desk with the computer even has a puddle on it, where an AC remote now lies broken. Even the strap on his fancy SLR camera is covered in mold.

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My landlord basically said it was mostly my fault because I didn’t empty the water in the dehumidifier. But I’m just a student. During the break I went home, so I couldn’t come back to mind the place.

The building itself is quite old, and the stairwells and exterior walls are run-down and water-damaged. The renter wasn’t expecting that his landlord would completely shirk responsibility and blame it all on him.

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I told him about the leak so many times, but it’s still leaking. Despite my complaints, he’s done nothing about it. He hasn’t handled the situation well, especially when it comes to his attitude.

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Lai Ching-te
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Han Kuo-yu
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Even in the midst of strong political camps and intense conflict, we all have a warm and humane side. I think today’s press event serves as a very good example for that, and sets a good precedent for the future. The president, the premier and the heads of the other Yuans are very concerned about the central government’s general budget and the military procurement budget. There are many conflicts and misunderstandings that have yet to be resolved. That’s especially the case for the unpleasantness that surrounds interactions between ruling and opposition parties. I invited President Lai Ching-te to come to the Legislative Yuan in person and speak to lawmakers and the people of our country. He accepted my invitation gladly.

Over the Lunar New Year break, the US Supreme Court ruled that the global tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed were unconstitutional. Within hours of the ruling, the Trump administration announced a 10% tariff on imports from all countries, a rate which was later raised to 15%. Premier Cho says that he had been engaging with the US during the holidays with the goal of ensuring that Taiwan maintains its rates as “most favored nation,” and also that Taiwan would still enjoy most favorable treatment under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

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