Taiwan: A Different Lantern Festival in Miaoli

Flags printed with, "Falun Dafa is great!"

Miaoli City: Waist Drum Team Moves People's Hearts

The 2006 Lantern Festival in Miaoli City, Taiwan started on February 11th. Different from previous festivals, the weather this year was bright. The event started in the afternoon. Fifty-two groups participated in a parade that extended over one kilometre. Spectators from the local area and other places crowded the 2.5 km-long parade route. The Miaoli Lantern Festival is one of the four most well known Taiwanese folk festivals, and it is therefore very well attended.

A large waist drum team named the "Falun Dafa Power Waist Drum Team" took part in the parade. The players were energetic and orderly. It was the last group in the parade and was followed by the police patrol cars, so it stood out against other groups.

Tongxiao Township: Celestial Maidens Spread Benevolence

Miaoli's Tongxiao Township had a "small New Year lantern festival" on the evening of February 12th in the square in front of Tongxiao Cihui Hall. Hundreds of residents came to the hall for the celebration. Most of the performances were provided by local talent, except two groups that were specially invited by the organisers. They were the Falun Gong Celestial Maiden dance team from Toufen Township and a drama team composed of Epoch Times volunteers.

The Celestial Maiden dance was the first performance. The elegant figures and peaceful music attracted the attention of the audience and filled the hall with serenity and peace. Falun Dafa practitioners displayed a pure art with a traditional cultural content to uplift society's morals and culture as well as to bring beauty and benevolence to the audience.

Falun Gong was introduced to Miaoli many years ago. With the addition of the Falun Dafa Power waist drum team and the Celestial Maiden dance team, people of the town and villages often invite the Falun Gong performers to their celebrations. The two performance teams sometimes demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises, and sometimes perform dances and play the drums. No matter what kind of performance, they always perform voluntarily and try to bring the very best to the audience. From the practitioners' attitudes, everyone from government official to the average villager, can experience the beauty of Falun Dafa.