Chiayi County Government held the award ceremony for the “2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi” National Lantern Competition today, the 11th. Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang‑liang attended the ceremony to present awards and congratulate all the winners. Many entries received enthusiastic reactions on social media, including the Lantern Kings of each category and Taibao Junior High School’s optical‑illusion work “Twisting Horse Face – Mǎ Dīng Ní”（扭頭馬面－馬盯尼）, adding brilliance to the competition lantern zone.

The Education Department stated that, to preserve traditional arts and craftsmanship, lantern‑making workshops were held in July 2025 at Sanhe, Taibao, and Lucao Elementary Schools, inviting professional lantern artists to guide 169 groups of educators and community members. Through themed planning, sketch design, frame construction, lighting arrangement, papier‑mâché decoration, testing and refinement, and final showcases, participants enhanced their lantern‑making skills and enriched the competition area.

Magistrate Weng noted that the works in the competition zone came from both schools and inmates, generating lively online discussions. He emphasized that the competition area is on par with other acclaimed zones of the Taiwan Lantern Festival. He expressed gratitude to teachers for their patient guidance and encouraged the public to visit during weekdays and enjoy the final days of the festival.

This year’s competition received a total of 282 entries, including 129 in the Family Category, 38 in the Junior High School Category, 13 in the Senior High School & Vocational Category, 17 in the College & Community Category, and 85 in the Government & Organization Category. First‑place winners in each category were crowned as Lantern Kings, alongside awards such as Special Excellence, Excellence, A‑Grade, and Honorable Mention, showcasing creativity and superb craftsmanship.

The Family Category Lantern King, “Oyster Treasure Breaking the Waves”（蚵寶破浪向前行）, created by Dongshi Elementary School, features the Wangchuan (King’s Ship) as its main imagery, symbolizing the spirit of protecting the ocean. The soccer and volleyball held by “Oyster Treasure” represent the school’s sports tradition and the children’s determination on the field.

In the Government & Organization Category, Hsinchu Prison won with “Fairy Tale”（童話）, inspired by the purity and dreamlike imagery of fairy‑tale worlds. Combining elements such as castles, forests, and starlight, the work uses layers of lighting to express the message: “childlike hearts never fade, and dreams shine endlessly.”

The Junior High School Category Lantern King, “Soaring with Loyalty, Leading the Way in the Year of the Horse”（義氣沖天、義馬當先）, created by Dapu Junior High & Elementary School, features the Year of the Horse as its theme. Surrounded by Chiayi’s local agricultural products, the work symbolizes the county’s flourishing vitality.

The Senior High School & Vocational Category Lantern King, “Leaping Sunrise · Auspicious Phoenix in Splendor”（躍動日昇．彩鳳呈祥）, created by Huanan Vocational High School, features the Mikado pheasant and Taiwan blue magpie, combined with the brilliant colors of Taiwan’s endemic birds, forming an image reminiscent of an auspicious phoenix descending.

The College & Community Category Lantern King, “Auspicious Mythical Beasts Carousel”（祥瑞神獸轉木馬）, created by United Creative Workshop, centers on a Chinese‑style carousel combined with the four mythical beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—expressing the wish that viewers may find happiness within life’s ever‑turning cycles.