Originally, I wanted to see the Dragon Bombing Festival in Miaoli that we attended last year, but then my husband saw a post about the bombing of Master Handan just a few kilometers away from our home. Then I remembered that I had actually seen an article about it last year and wanted to see it. Haha, it seems my memory is bad. I hope I won't forget what I plan for next year, as I saw another festival that I had never heard of organized in Chiayi and really want to see it.
There was no clear schedule for the event, but it was supposedly starting at 5:30 PM on the Lantern Festival day (February 24). We arrived at Zhonggang Ciyu Temple and walked around for a while. After asking the guards, it seemed they hadn't started the parade yet and it may take 2 more hours to arrive at this temple, as it is the final stop. They told us to go to another temple where the bombing of Master Handan was about to start. They walk to several temples on the route, so it will happen a few times.
We drove there and it was already ongoing. I quickly went to the very front. Like really the front... I was standing on the white line, so the first row, together with several photographers that came. There weren't that many people. I can understand why - I felt the scrape of firecrackers hitting me several times, and the dust and smell were horrible. I actually watched for maybe half an hour in total at two places. At the end, my eyes were painful from the dust, and even one day after, I could taste the firecrackers in my mouth... I recommend wearing glasses and a mask, which I didn't have. It's also good to cover your ears, I could barely hear anything afterwards.
Normally, I'm not a fan of temple events, but normal events are boring in my opinion; just firecrackers and noise. Events like this are fun as they're something unique and not seen in many places!
The next morning, I also received a message on my Facebook page saying, "Thank you for taking pictures," accompanied by a picture of a shirtless guy. At first, I thought it was strange, but upon checking his Facebook profile, I noticed he was one of the guys carrying Handan during the event. I'm not really popular, so I thought it's amazing that people can easily find me. On the other hand, I was the only foreigner there (or at least I hadn't noticed any others attending at the moment).
Another Festival found only in Miaoli is the Bombing Dragon Festival, more about it my other post [LINK]
Bombing of the Master Handan
The bombing of Handan at Zhonggang Ciyu Palace in Zhunan, Miaoli, which has a history of more than a century, takes place in the temple on the evening of the 15th day of the Lunar New Year. By bombing the Handan God, people hope to drive away the plague, pray for the safety of the people, survive the disaster, and welcome the God of Wealth.
The Zhonggang Ciyu Palace in Zhunan has a history of more than 400 years. During the Qing Dynasty, Zhunan Town had close shipping connections with China. Today, the Zhonggang River in Zhunan Town is very prosperous. The old city center of Zhunan Town is centered around Zhonggang Ciyu Palace, and businesses around the temple entrance thrive.
Ciyu Palace holds a Handan bombing event every Lantern Festival. The origin of the event is unknown, but it has a history of more than a hundred years. It is said that Taitung's Handan bombing originated from Ciyu Palace.
According to local sources, the event was once prohibited and suspended during the Japanese occupation. After several twists and turns, it was not until 1987 that local people worked hard to resume the event, and it has not been interrupted again for more than 20 years.
The Handan Bombing of Ciyu Palace in Zhunan involves four shirtless warriors carrying the Marshal of the Xuantan to accept the bombing. They circle around the Zhonggang area of Zhunan to drive away epidemics and avoid evil, protect local safety, and welcome the God of Wealth. This type of Handan bombing is different from the one in Taitung, where Xuan Tan Ye is attached to a person, and the person sits on a chair and accepts the bombing.
It's said that Lord Handan was afraid of the cold. Whenever he marched on the evening of the Lantern Festival, people would throw firecrackers at him to keep him warm. It was also believed that the more firecrackers one threw, the more money he or she would make in the coming year. Over time, "bombing Lord Handan" has become a tradition during the Lantern Festival. Today, setting off firecrackers not only brings prosperity but also wards off bad luck!
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