Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Taiwan ushered in 2014 with an array of fireworks shows around the country as crowds of revelers screamed and hugged each other to celebrate the arrival of a new year.
The main event for many was a fireworks show lasting 218 seconds that leapt from the country's tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101, accompanied by folk music performed by Taiwanese aboriginal children.
The spectacular launched with a 4-meter tall sculpture in the image of comic hero Spider-Man shooting webs of laser beams to the top of the building, setting off the 24,000 rounds of fireworks ranging from gold to purple that lit up the night sky to the awe of spectators.
On the other side of the country, revelers at Kaohsiung's E-Da World theme park enjoyed a 520-second fireworks feature, a number chosen for its similar pronunciation to the phrase "I love you" in Chinese (wo ai ni).
The show ended with fireworks in the shape of a bodhisattva offering a prayer for the nation.
Not to be outdone, Janfusun Fancyworld in the southern county of Yunlin set off a 610-second firework show, the longest in the country.
A slew of New Year's Eve events took place across the country Tuesday, seeing celebrities including Taiwanese girl group S.H.E., rock band Mayday, singers Elva Hsiao and Jam Hsiao and Singaporean singer JJ Lin taking to the stage to entertain cheering crowds.
Around 10 p.m., the Taipei 101 countdown event linked live with the annual Red and White Year-end Song Festival in Japan and a concert by Japanese singer Masaharu Fukuyama in Yokohama.
An estimated 2.5 million people participated in New Year's Eve countdown parties around Taiwan.
(By Christie Chen)