Sky Lanterns of Pingxi
by Grace Lin · Oct 2026
Every year at the Festival, thousands of people visit Pingxi, a small mountain town in New Taipei. They come for one special thing: sky .
A sky is a big paper bag with a small fire under it. First, people write their wishes on the four sides with brushes and black ink. Then they light the fire. Hot air fills the , and it rises into the night sky. Hundreds of float up together, like bright orange stars.
This is very old. Hundreds of years back, the hills around Pingxi were not safe, and many families ran up into the mountains. Then the danger passed, and the men from the town sent into the sky as a message. A in the sky said, "We are safe. Come home." Today, the message is different. People wish for good health, good grades, or a happy family.
Many also visit Pingxi on Saturdays and Sundays. They walk next to the old train tracks, buy a at a small shop, and it right there. It is a beautiful sight.
But the also bring problems. The next morning, many burned lie in the forests and rivers. Some people worry about forest fires. Now some collect the old , and some shops sell of thin, soft paper. They are better for the mountains. A wish in the sky is a pretty thing, but a clean mountain is a good wish too.