Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) Totems of 14 indigenous tribes in Taiwan will be featured on lanterns that will be distributed for free during the Taipei Lantern Festival in February, officials said Sunday.
The lanterns are designed to portray the theme of the Year of the Snake in Chinese astrology.
The designer Lin Chia-wei said that for many indigenous tribes, snakes represent their guardian angels or ancestors.
The design also incorporates totems of 14 indigenous tribes, symbolizing vitality and resilience, she said.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said the lanterns have been named "Ha Ha," to signify the expected happy laughter of people when the domestic economy improves.
According to the city government, a total of 100,000 Ha Ha lanterns will be distributed free of cost in the city's 12 administrative districts and at Yuanshan Park and the Fine Arts Park on Feb. 23 and 24.
In celebration of the Year of the Snake, sections of Zhongshan North Road and areas near Yuanshan and Minquan West Road MRT stations will be lit up from Feb. 6, the city government said.
Yuanshan Park will be the main venue of this year's Taipei Lantern Festival, which will run from Feb. 21 to March 3.
(By Liu Chien-pang and Jamie Wang)