Hohaiyan Rock Festival
It is an annual summer event in Taiwan featuring international and local bands. The first event was held in 2000 at the Fulong Beach, Taipei County. The name “Hohaiyan” is in Ami language, one of the Taiwan aboriginal languages which mean appreciating the ocean. The purpose of holding the festival was to form a music platform for the rock ‘n roll genre in Taiwan. The performers consist of famous rock bands, singers, as well as underground bands and artists.
The 3 day festival attracts thousands of passionate music fans. A trade fair of indie band goods and food stands selling delicious seafood cuisines would be set up. The festival will be a nation-wide phenomenon since the admission to Fulong Beach is free. The 2010 Hohaiyan Rock Festival in northern Taiwan's Gongliao Township brought over 570,000 visitors and created business value of over NT$700 million ($35 million).
This video shows the atmosphere of the Rock Festival which was not anything special except that it is held in an unique open-air, beach environment concept.
Chinese Lantern festival
On the 15th lunar day of the year, Chinese Taoism families worship the Heaven Officer and pray for luck. Traditionally, Chinese should decorate lighted lanterns around the house and children carrying candle paper lantern on the street at night. Probably due to safety concern, it is not followed closely, instead Taiwanese people participate in other lantern activities. The lantern carnival includes food, games, gift shops and performance are available around the lantern displays for people and tourists.
Taiwan's unique sky lanterns
During the night of lantern festival, some Taiwanese will fly the sky lantern by writing their wishes on the paper lantern and praying for their wishes to come true. Long time ago, people believe the lantern will float up to the heaven and the god of heaven will receive their messages and give them blessing. Sticky glutinous balls filled with with sesame, red-bean or peanut butter paste are severed with sugar water during this festival.
Imagining how beautiful a sky lantern with our wishes would float in the sky, we tried to set one off.
It was so difficult compared to those lanterns we light during mid-autum in Singapore.
Well, the wind was too strong. Thus it failed and burned with our wishes!!
Taiwanese Mid-summer Ghost Festival
It begins on the 1st day of the seventh lunar month and is celebrated by the opening of the tower gate of the "Old Venerable" Temple. Taoist believes that this festival falls on the birthday of the Hell gatekeeper who governs all matters in the underworld and decided out of compassion to released lost souls back to the mortal world to enjoy incense, candles and food offered for a month.
On the 15th day, water lanterns are released and sacrificial rites for delivering the ghosts are act upon in public and private. A ceremonial dance is also performed to welcome deity Chung Kwei to terror the ghosts and keep them in order. Throughout Taiwan, the Ghost month is regarded with superstition, and it is considered to be unlucky to travel, marry or hold a funeral during this period.
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