Chinese New Year 2025 in Taiwan

Lunar New Year is Taiwan's most important and longest holiday of the year. Two-week celebration is held in all regions, culminating with New Year's Eve and ending with a spectacular Lantern festival. This holiday is celebrated with a blend of traditional customs, vibrant festivals, and unique regional activities.

Lantern Festivals

Taiwan’s Lantern Festivals are among the most iconic events during Chinese New Year. The northern city of Pingxi hosts the renowned Sky Lantern Festival, where thousands of glowing lanterns are released into the sky, carrying people’s wishes for the year ahead. In Taipei, the city’s Lantern Festival extends beyond the holiday, featuring large illuminated displays and cultural performances.

Firework Displays

Southern Taiwan is known for its extravagant fireworks. Tainan’s Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, held during the Lantern Festival, offers an intense experience with rockets launched into crowds in a display meant to ward off evil spirits. In Taitung, the Bombarding Master Handan Festival combines fireworks with an ancient tradition of throwing firecrackers at a performer representing the god Handan.

Traditional Dances

Dragon and lion dances are staples of Chinese New Year in Taiwan. These performances, blending northern and southern Chinese traditions, are often accompanied by the rhythmic beats of drums and cymbals. Taipei’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, among other venues, typically hosts free public performances on New Year’s Day.

Culinary Feasts

Family reunions are central to the celebrations, with grand feasts featuring dumplings, rice, noodles, and steamed fish symbolizing prosperity and longevity. Visitors can also explore temporary New Year markets selling traditional snacks, gifts, and decorations.

Central Taiwan

Central Taiwan is known for Bombing the Dragon tradition while firecrackers are thrown at dancing dragons. Dragon parade in Miaoli is especially colorful and filled with excitement. So, grab your cameras along to picture the most amazing moments of the celebration!

Attractions

While many businesses close for the holiday, major tourist attractions like Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, and Beitou Hot Springs remain open with adjusted hours. On January 28, New Year’s Eve, some locations may close early or for the entire day, resuming normal hours from January 29 onward. It is advisable to check specific timings before visiting.

History

Chinese New Year has deep cultural roots in Taiwan, tracing back to the migration of Han Chinese settlers. Over the centuries, the celebration has evolved to incorporate both traditional and regional customs, reflecting Taiwan’s cultural diversity. The Lantern Festival, for instance, is inspired by ancient rituals of welcoming the first full moon of the lunar year and seeking blessings from the gods.