Flowers are something that most Taiwanese people cannot do without for Lunar New Year. They believe it would make sense to put some beautiful flowers or plants at home during the Spring Festival season because flowers symbolize happiness, abundance, and fortune.
The main theme of the Flower Fair this year is ‘Good Luck in the Year of the Pig’ (喜從豬來). (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
When it comes to places for purchasing flowers for the Lunar New Year, most Taipei City residents may immediately think of the lunar new year flower fair (春節花市) at the parking lot-turned makeshift Taipei Jianguo Holiday Flower Market (台北建國假日花市).
Moth orchids are elegant and graceful, and their blooms can last from two to three months. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
Please watch the video of the Lunar New Year Flower Fair in Taipei, Taiwan.
With an area of 2 acres (8,000 m2), the Taipei Jianguo Holiday Flower Market is one of the most famous floral bazaars in Taiwan, and one of the largest outdoor flower markets in the world. It usually opens at 9 a.m. and runs until 5-6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
The Flower Fair is vibrant with a great variety of beautiful flowers and plants. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
Every year, in the run-up to the Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year Flower Fair is held at the Jianguo Flower Market for 10 consecutive days. It is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the annual event.
Taiwanese like flowers because they believe they represent happiness, abundance, and fortune. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
200+ stalls at Lunar New Year markets
Covering an entire block stretching about a half kilometer beneath the bustling Jianguo Overpass (建國高架道路) crossing the eastern part of Taipei City, the 200-plus stalls on the two sides of the market are replete with a massive variety of colorful flowers, plants, bonsai trees, gardening tools, pots, fertilizers, woodcarvings, souvenirs, and other Lunar New Year-related decoration items.
Jianguo Flower Market is a great destination to browse through and appreciate the beauty of many novel species of flowers and plants. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
As 2019 is the Year of the Pig, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the main theme of the Flower Fair this year is “Good Luck in the Year of the Pig” (喜從豬來). The mascot of the Flower Fair, “Lucky Flying Pig” (福氣飛天豬), was erected in the middle of the Flower Market. It was mainly made of about 10,000 locally produced flowers by a professional floral artist.
The tomato is a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
Moreover, the annual event also features an exhibition of peonies transported from Daikonshima (大根島) in Japan’s Matsue City (松江市), in which some 300 peonies in 10 different varieties were displayed.
About 300 peonies from Japan were displayed at the Lunar New Year Flower Fair in Taipei. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
To promote the peony exhibition, five mayors from Japan were invited by the Taipei City Government to attend the opening ceremony on December 26, 2018. They are the mayors of Matsue City (松江市), Sakaiminato City (境港市), Yasugi City (安來市), Yonago City (米子市), and Izumo City (出雲市).
There are 200-plus stalls selling a great variety of flowers at the Flower Fair. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
The Lunar New Year Flower Fair is not only an ideal location for locals to purchase flowers, plants, and other items for the celebration of the Lunar New Year, but it is also a great destination for foreign visitors to browse through and appreciate the beauty of many novel species of flowers, plants, and other interesting items.
The red fruits of Taitung Firethorn symbolize prosperity and good fortune. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
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