Amazing: Thousands of Lanterns Light up and Go to the Sky

Hundreds of people gathered in Pingxi, Taiwan on 3/2 and released more than a thousand paper lanterns into the sky, in the hope of an auspicious year. Pingxi has a long history for releasing flying lanterns, which were first used as mean of communication between villagers lived in mountainous areas and later they were sent as prayers for the coming year. UNIDENTIFIED 45-YEAR-OLD MALE FROM TAIWAN, SAYING: "What I wrote on the lantern, it's roughly about family harmony, good health and wishing all the best." Some travel from far and wide to see the festival in Taiwan. 26-YEAR-OLD ALLEN GARCIA FROM PHILIPPINES, SAYING: "Breathtaking. It's also an experience to see everyone come to one festival from different nations, different countries. And just the view of seeing all the lanterns light up and go to the sky, it's just really an amazing feeling." The festival is celebrated on the night of the first full moon of the lunar New Year, and it ends the 15-day celebration of Chinese New Year. Credit: Reuters and AP