Tainan Yanshui (台南鹽水), an old town that has undergone Taiwanese history for over four hundred years, took an important rank in the maritime trade with the cities Anping (安平) and Lukang (鹿港) three hundred years ago. Subsequently, it’s nobly known for its traditional culture of beehive firecrackers. As with the continuous crackling of beehive firecrackers, the pandemic subsides. Nowadays, the resplendent flames transform into thanksgiving for the deities and social cohesion of new wishes to the local people; furthermore, they have become a grand annual event in Yanshui. The first Yuejin Lantern Festival (月津港燈節) breaks fresh ground following the returns of young generations of artists. Through contemporary art styles, the young artists introduce more cultural elements into ordinary lives and gradually build up the features and fulfilment of Yanshui. Yanshui has weathered social upheavals, cultural transformations, the development of transition beliefs, and the refilling of new aspirations. All these efforts have been planted as a seed, flourishing and bringing Yanshui into the world.

As time flows, Yanshui has been revealing a brand-new appearance and direction, which abounds with Taiwan’s historical and cultural heritage. It is now showcasing itself from new perspectives and horizons. Up to this time, the Yuejin Lantern Festival has gone through more than a decade of ups and downs in changes, as well as twists and turns. Numerous groups of national and international artists have taken round journeys on this moonlit-bathed harbour for more than ten years. Through various art forms, they pay tribute to the Yuejin Harbour and gather to create an anticipated annual lantern festival along the riverside where shadows of outstretched trees reflect upon the moonlit river. The Yuejin Lantern Festival has forged a nationwide art platform. It provides creative space for the latest artists in installation, audio-visual, and plastic art fields to make their marks and give full play. From here, many artists have just started calling to attention and gained popularity on the international stage. Tainan Yanshui unravels, bit by bit, a new vision of the world, attuned to its rhythm. The dreamland, shone as the brilliant sun, is drawing nearer.

The fireworks, a symbol of new hopes, present Yanshui’s aspirations. The unique vision carries the cultural legacy of Yanshui for generations. Through Art, music, performance, and other forms, they infuse innovative elements into lives and allow people to appreciate and understand the rich history of this land with new versions. A new flame takes the initiative and lights up this place through Art. Yanshui, a place for utopia, depicts the dream of a harmonious society coexisting with the environment and eventually becomes a sanctuary for our spiritual world. In addition, it shapes cultures and portrays the profound essence of Yanshui. As the light stream of time flows, the brilliance of the Yuejin Lantern Festival shines over the world. Year by Year, the Yanshui Lantern Festival exceeds itself and enhances more charm. Step by step, it features characteristics of the local cultures. The Yuejin Lantern Festival has become the proud representation of Yanshui.

As visitors come to this realm, not merely waiting but anticipating, where light and shadows interlace, they yearn for a utopia of beauty. The Yuejin Harbour constructs a splendid web of people interwoven with history, culture, and Art. Through a journey spanning more than a decade, Yuejin Harbour has experienced a remarkable transformation. It has evolved from an unknown town into an anniversary lantern festival, igniting local pride in Yanshui; it has further developed into a highly anticipated New Year holiday attraction, capturing Taiwanese with their necks craning forward; it has emerged as a city that beckons international artists. Above all, Yuejin Harbour stands as a globally renowned art event.

The seed that was sown a decade ago is gradually blossoming, flourishing, and growing ravishingly in the floral realm of the world’s new vision. Soon after, Yanshui will stand out conspicuously, dazzling in full blossom.