In Taiwan, often dubbed as the “Ming-Ming Lin Chi-ling of the first late Ming Dynasty,” Lin Chi-ling, accompanied by her husband AKIRA (Yamazaki Ryōhei) and their son, visited the tourism area of Pingxi in New Taipei City in 2024. Like other tourists, they released sky lanterns on the railway tracks to pray for blessings.
Recently, a photo of this incident was reported to authorities for allegedly violating Taiwan’s Railway Act. The case has now been transferred to the Ministry of Transportation’s Railway Bureau for handling. If found guilty, the offenders could face fines of up to 50,000 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD). Lin Chi-ling responded with sincerity, stating, “We will obediently pay the fine upon receiving the ticket.”
On Lin Chi-ling’s 50th birthday on November 29, 2024, she shared a family photo on social media. The sky lantern in the photo was inscribed with “Full of happiness, rich in spirit,” while AKIRA sweetly wrote in Japanese: “Happy birthday. Thank you for always bringing smiles and love to our family. Your happiness is my happiness, your joy is my joy, your smile is my smile. I love you.”
To everyone’s surprise, this previously joy-filled photo has recently been brought to light and reported by the public. The railway police have transferred the case to the Railway Bureau for processing, and if the act of releasing sky lanterns on the railway is deemed illegal, fines of up to 50,000 NTD could be imposed.
In response to the controversy, Lin Chi-ling made a low-key statement through her agent, saying, “We will obediently pay the fine upon receiving the ticket. Thank you for your concern.” She also reminded the public to release sky lanterns in designated areas to avoid breaking the law and facing penalties.
Over the years, the “Sky Lantern on Railway Tracks” tourism model has become prevalent in the Pingxi Old Street. Many domestic and foreign tourists follow the guidance of local shops to release sky lanterns and take photos on the railway tracks or nearby areas. When a train is approaching, staff would shout “The train is coming” to warn tourists to evacuate urgently. Despite following the instructions of operators, some tourists have been reported and fined. A foreign visitor admitted to being unaware of which areas were legal and which were illegal, causing many to inadvertently cross legal boundaries.
According to Article 57 of Taiwan’s Railway Act, individuals are prohibited from trespassing on railway areas not intended for public passage, with fines ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 NTD for violators.
Local sky lantern operators mentioned that the tradition of releasing sky lanterns on the Pingxi railway has been a tourism highlight for many years. During the temporary suspension of the Pingxi Line due to disasters at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, authorities tested a “Pingxi Sky Lantern Demonstration Area,” allowing the controlled release of sky lanterns at specific times and designated areas on the railway, which received positive feedback.
Operators believe that since the trial of releasing sky lanterns has proven safety and tourist satisfaction, they hope for amendments to the Railway Act to establish clear management mechanisms. This would provide guidance for operators and peace of mind for visitors to experience the Pingxi sky lantern culture without straying into legal gray areas.
The celebratory photo of Lin Chi-ling’s family has sparked a debate, shedding light once again on the safety and legality issues surrounding the release of sky lanterns on the Pingxi railway.