Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

A Lunar New Year decoration giveaway took place at the city hall’s center lobby on February 10, giving the audience a chance to bring home free holiday decorations. Fifty guests – calligraphers, paper craft artisans, and artists – were invited to the event. They wrote spring couplets and made paper-cut handicrafts, which they handed out to the spectators. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin joined dignitaries at a calligraphy writing session, with each guest wrote a single Chinese character on the paper. The separate characters combine to form the couplet “Fu Hu Sheng Feng Hao Yun Dao” (“The tiger of fortune raises the wind to bring in good luck”). The mayor wrote the Chinese character “Hao” (“good”), which has the same pronunciation as his last name. The event was organized by Taipei City Distinguished Citizen Association; Chinese Calligraphy Heritage Association; C.J. Chen Foundation; Folk Art Expert Chen Hui; Xiahai Chenghuang Temple; Taipei Symphony Orchestra; and the Department of Culture Affairs. Hau expressed his gratitude to the Taipei City Distinguished Citizen Association for holding the spring couplet-writing session every year. The event helps preserve an important Lunar New Year tradition and allows participants to get into the festive spirit.