Taiwan Lantern Festival - Light Arrives in Chiayi Pavilion

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Taiwan Lantern Festival – Light Arrives in Chiayi Pavilion

“Light Arrives in Chiayi Pavilion” is an immersive light art installation centered on the theme of Transnational Guardian Spirits of Alishan. The project brings together artists from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea to reinterpret cultural symbols of protection through contemporary light art.

Inspired by the concept of “gathering through light for peace and sustainability,” the pavilion transforms the Alishan forest into an “International Forest of Light.” Each artist creates a guardian spirit based on their cultural background, translating traditional beliefs—such as Taiwan’s Shigandang (stone tablets used to ward off evil), and Japan’s stone-stacking practices—into modern visual narratives.

At the heart of the experience are character-driven installations, including LuLuu, a deer-shaped spirit symbolizing protection and hope; DieDie, a collaborative work reflecting harmony between Taiwanese and Japanese traditions; and a series of contemplative Korean spirits such as LanLan, DengDeng, JingJing, and ChaCha, each embodying different relationships between humans, nature, and contemporary life.

Integrated seamlessly into the Alishan landscape, the installations create a poetic dialogue between light, environment, and culture. Visitors journey through the forest, encountering not only visual spectacles but also layered meanings of guardianship, connection, and coexistence.

This project highlights the power of cross-cultural collaboration and site-specific design, using light as a universal language to connect diverse traditions. It reimagines the lantern festival as a platform for storytelling, emotional engagement, and global dialogue—offering a vision of unity, empathy, and shared guardianship in an interconnected world.