The STUST USR project team of Local Creation and Dissemination of Cultural Heritage—Fucheng vs Yuejin,” sponsored by the Ministry of Education, joined hands with Tainan City Cultural Association to organize the Shennong Street Lantern Festival in the 7th consecutive year. Recently, the team combined the fact of its 7th consecutive year with the Year of the Dragon, turning it into the concept of the New Year based on the theme of the integration of the seven dragon balls. STUST hopes that the lantern show will be successful. The painted dragon lanterns brought the good cheer of "dragons bringing good luck" and "double dragons presenting auspiciousness."

【A group photo in front of the Wutiaogang Cultural Center at the opening of STUST’s exhibition】

This year the lantern show presented a joyful atmosphere after the pandemic, with residents and students actively participating in it. The number of participants exceeded previous figures, with a total of 60 households and shops in the Year of the Dragon, as well as 153 students from STUST's independent course, “The Year of the Dragon Lantern Painting.” Moreover, the show invited the Cheng Kung Junior high school and the kids from “Paper Airplanes Can Fly” talent classroom to work together, creating a beautiful Year of the Dragon lantern show. There were many lantern areas this year. In addition to the welcome lantern gallery at Shennong Street entrance, the imagery lanterns at the entrance of Shennong Street, the Beishigang Ruins lanterns, the beautiful lantern wall of the port ruins created by the “Paper Airplanes Can fly” talent classroom, the Beef Alley lanterns, and the local household lanterns on Shennong Street, this year there were also be the "Heart to Heart Wishing Lantern Gallery" in front of Jinhua Mansion and the lantern district of the "Stringing Memories‧Looking for the Dragon" in front of No. 78. At the intersection of Kangle Street and Shennong Street, teachers, students, parents, and volunteers of Cheng Kong Junior High School worked together to light up the Cheng Kong Tainan 400 lantern wall, as well as the "Q Dragon" lantern by the 6th generation artist Guo-lin Hong from Zuto Paper Art, which is a Tainan paper mache family at the intersection of Shennong Street and Haian Road.

【The unveiling of the welcome light gallery created by the administrative unit of STUST and international students】

The planning team of the opening ceremony recently played the "Looking for the Seven Dragon Balls" game throughout the entire opening process. The seven dragon balls represent the team's journey of holding the lantern show from the Year of the Dog to the Year of the Dragon. The game of "Looking for the Dragon Balls" started from the middle island of Haian Road. The fourth, fifth and sixth graders of Shiejin Elementary School performed Huoling'er, the incarnation of the third prince. Under the guidance of the Thunder Drum Club of STUST, led by the President Cheng-wen Wu of STUST, the participating school kids walked along the road looking for dogs, pigs, rats, cows, tigers, rabbits, and dragon balls in each lantern area, leading the distinguished guests, people, and students participating in the opening to know each lantern area. Finally, at the Success Light Wall, guests from STUST—President Cheng-wen Wu, and the founding president of Tainan City Cultural Association Dao-tsong Zheng, Director Shi-hui Tsai of Cheng Kong Junior High School, together with other distinguished guests and students jointly, put the seven balls together. They put up the Success Light Wall with the image of Tainan 400 lit up, symbolizing the success of the lantern show. After the opening ceremony, students who participated in the lantern painting started the activity of hanging lanterns in each household.

【The newly added "Stringing of Memories‧Looking for the Dragon" STUST's in the Year of the Dragon" Lighting Area】

Prof. Bai-fang Shiao, the host of the Cultural Heritage Project, said that the Shennong Street Lantern Show was rated as the most interesting lantern show by the public, and residents claimed it was the most beautiful night view in Tainan. This was an infinite encouragement to the project team as well as a social practice of STUST. Best evidence. In addition to lantern viewing, the Shennong Street Lantern Exhibition also launched nine consecutive activities during the lantern exhibition, including lantern riddle guessing, lantern night tour, two street games of traveling through the street map and Meiding Meidang, Street Hunting and Alley MR, and taking photos of the Shennong Lantern Festival. The public was welcome to visit Shennong Street to enjoy the spring lanterns and the most festive lantern show in Taiwan, which was created by teachers and students of STUST.

【President Cheng-wen Wu of STUST was delivering a speech.】

【President Cheng-wen Wu of STUST was unveiling at the opening of the Year of the Dragon Lantern Festival.】

【The street performance of Huoling'er from Shiejin Elementary School】

【The opening performance of the Thunder Drum Club of STUST】

【The opening scene of the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival in the Year of the Dragon at Shennong Street】