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I have twice been to a small village at the outskirts of Taipei to enjoy the Sky Lantern Festival, which is held around the 15-th day of the Chinese New Year. This festival began, they say, in an ancient time, when this village was attacked by gangs. After the village people defended, they informed their children, women, and elderly, who had escaped in the mountains, by sending lanterns into the sky.

Put an oil soaked paper at the bottom of the lantern and light it. After the lantern is swelled with warmed air, write your wishes on it. At the right moment, let go the lantern. It was the moment my wishes were heard by the Heaven.

More than hundreds of pink, yellow, green, orange, and white lanterns were floating in the dark air. Even at the top of the mountains, they were floating like twinkling of fireflies.

From Brochure 2005 Edition

In 1910, many lamp manufacturers including GE gathered from around the world to hold a meeting. Through the discussion, they were to decide a new name for the light which we now call an incandescent lamp. And they came to a conclusion. The name was, a "Mazda Lamp." This name was also used in Japan from 1913 to 1963.

This name, "Mazda," comes from Aura Mazda, the highest diety of Zoroastrianism in ancient Persia. Mazda was believed to be the origin of light. Zoroastrianism worshiped fire, and is famous for the good and evil dualism and eschatology which deeply affected Goethe and Nietzsche.

Furthermore, to our surprise, Zoroastrianism is deeply embedded in the way the Japanese think, particularly in the origins of some faiths; Yama, Indra, Asura, Sarasvati, Avalokitesvara, and Maitreya. One of the Bon Festival's customs, waiting for ancestors' spirits with a small fire in front of the house, also comes from Zoroastrianism.

When I saw the holy fire in the temple of Yazd, the sacred place in central Iran, I had shivers go up and down my spine. The fire looked like it had a soul.

Fire fascinates some people.

Before designing light, we have to understand fire. I have to tip my hat to our predecessors for choosing "Aura Mazda" as the name of a light bulb.

From Brochure 1998 Edition

When I was in my twenties, I had an opportunity to go to an indoor Classical concert event held at Schioss Herrenchiemsee (Aerrenchiemsee castle), where Ludwig II of Bavaria once lived.

I took a boat ride to a small island in the lake, where the castle is situated on, and I took a ride in a horse carriage from the dock to the castle entrance maneuvered by the horseman disguised in the 19th century costumes. Being in this candle-lit carriage made me feel like a Cinderella.

When I got into the room of the mirror where the concert took place, i found every one of chandeliers in the room decorated with hundreds of real candles in them, And those crystal-like glittering chandeliers gave me a such different world that music later seemed to sound far more lively and enjoyable. It became clear and comprehensive to me that back them, aristocrats enjoyed the dances at nights after having slept the whole afternoons.

The awe that the light has a mysterious power later inspired me to get into the fields of light.

From Brochure 1995 Edition

Designing lighting resembles to writing a mystery novel. In a continuous space, lighting in individual rooms describes the relationship among them.

Like illustrating the cast in the novel, characterizing each space one by one, the lighting drags visitors into searching the criminal. Finally the visitors find out the most important place in the building, the criminal, and they rest in deep satisfaction.

Thus, the pleasure of a designer is in arranging lights dynamically along movement of visitors and along passing of time just like writing mystery. It is not in designing static scenery.

From Brochure 1992 Edition