Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival
Let me start with the conclusion after attending this festival: Taiwanese people are crazy but Catalans are not far behind :)
The celebrations of Chinese New Year end on the 15th day of the year (this time it was February 17th) and big events are held everywhere in Taiwan. Last year we joined the Pingxi al Lantern Festival, this year I decided to join the Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival (at the south of Taiwan, not far from the former capital Tainan). It is one of the most well known festivals in Taiwan and it attracts people from all around the island and a decent number of tourists too.
In a number of articles it is considered the 3rd most dangerous tradition and the 5th more dangerous festival in the world (number one being “Sanfermines”). In any case it was very promising event :)
In order to simplify the logistics of the event I joined an organized tour from LionTravel. At the meeting point I introduced myself to another foreigner (there were only 3 in total, including me) and he was Jean. He works at LionTravel as Product Planning, but because of his addiction to risky sports and adventures he’s regularly present at Taiwanese TV. You can get an idea by watching the YouTube videos where he appears. He was the ideal pal for this adventure.
After a long bus ride we arrived on time at Yanshui. After lunch (eating is always first in Taiwan) we had time to tour around the town to get familiar with the streets, visit few temples and get a glimpse of what the night festival will be like…
Primer menjar una mica! La Rita i en Jean01-Jan-2006 12:38, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec
Parada de cascs01-Jan-2006 12:18, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 4.0, 10.4mm, 0.004 sec
300 TWD (~7 EUR) per un casc de 2na mà01-Jan-2006 16:20, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.013 sec
Aquí preparen una de les bateries de coets01-Jan-2006 13:14, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec
Per si les mosques (I)01-Jan-2006 13:26, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 4.4, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec
Per si les mosques (II)01-Jan-2006 13:27, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 4.4, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec
Betzinera curiosa01-Jan-2006 13:17, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.01 sec
En busca de protecció01-Jan-2006 13:39, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
Gallina de 7 anys, famosa?01-Jan-2006 13:41, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec
Protecció abans dels festival01-Jan-2006 13:49, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.006 sec
El mateix un cop acabat el festival01-Jan-2006 13:49, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec
Right before the sunset, in a kind of procession/parade, groups from all the temples of the city reach the main temple to salute the big boss (quite similar to what Taiwanese families do during Chinese New Year). That started to be interesting… do not miss the videos (and turn on the speakers!)
L'amo de tot plegat01-Jan-2006 16:02, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.6, 8.44mm, 0.01 sec
Foto del diari
Foto del diari17-Feb-2011 17:18, Canon Canon EOS 500D, 7.1, 32.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100
Foto del diari17-Feb-2011 17:27, Canon Canon EOS 500D, 5.6, 90.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 200
M'encanten aquests capgrossos. No us perdeu el video01-Jan-2006 15:44, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 5.9, 18.9mm, 0.008 sec
La caixa que protegeix al deu/sant01-Jan-2006 15:59, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec
Foto del diari17-Feb-2011 17:15, Canon Canon EOS 500D, 7.1, 90.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100
Pare mirant orgullós a la seva criatura01-Jan-2006 16:09, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 5.0, 14.49mm, 0.013 sec
Capvespre01-Jan-2006 15:54, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
The history behind this festival began in the late 19th century. A cholera epidemic broke out about 1875 and the town of Yanshui was hit hard by it. After several years, the population had dwindled and the people decided to call on Guan Di, the god of war, to help give them strength in their fight against the disease. They used fireworks to attract the attention of the the god, and have been doing so ever since.
To attend the festival and avoid getting injured you must be well protected. We spent late afternoon preparing our shield. I decided to look for protection from Gifré “el Pilós” and I draw a senyera on my shield. The recommended protection includes full helmet, towel around your neck, gloves, long sleeves and various layers of clothes.
Fent l'escut01-Jan-2006 14:57, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.02 sec
El Jean treballant01-Jan-2006 14:58, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.02 sec
L'altre estrander, un alemany01-Jan-2006 15:03, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.013 sec
Finalistes del millor escut01-Jan-2006 15:24, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
El meu escut01-Jan-2006 15:37, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 4.4, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec
Jean i altres treballadors del LionTravel amb la premsa01-Jan-2006 15:49, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.004 sec
Proteccions recomenades
Gent fent cas als consells01-Jan-2006 14:17, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 4.4, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec
Apunt per començar!01-Jan-2006 17:17, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
En Jean amb dos escuts01-Jan-2006 17:18, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
The festival takes places with a number of parades going around Yanshui at the same time (so you need to decide which one to join at what time). The parades carry images of gods/saints in small carriages. At well know points of their route (temples, factories, squares, etc.) there will be fireworks, firecrackers and batteries with thousands of rocket beehive. It starts around 19:00 and it last until well after midnight, so there is enough time to get burnt, hit and exhausted.
Even the images and videos are spectacular it is impossible to illustrate the feeling of being in the middle of the rockets.
Foto del diari
Foto del diari
Una traca, de ben aprop01-Jan-2006 17:56, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.04 sec
Primer coet al escut01-Jan-2006 18:58, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
Foto del diari
Dutxa de foc01-Jan-2006 18:16, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.013 sec
Foto del diari28-Feb-2010 06:56, Canon Canon EOS DIGITAL RE, 4.0, 24.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 400
Quantitat brutal de coets01-Jan-2006 21:00, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec
Em fan fora ja que ho encenen tot seguit (i nosaltres a primera linea!)01-Jan-2006 21:01, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec
L'escut ben foradat a aquestes alçades01-Jan-2006 22:13, CASIO COMPUTER CO.,L EX-Z60 , 3.1, 6.3mm, 0.01 sec
Foto del diari
The shield did a good job and it was pretty badly damaged at the end :) You can zoom the image below.
In the past I joined both la Patum de Berga and l’Aquelarre de Cervera but in none of them I saw as much fire as I saw in Yanshui.
Check below the news report about the festival
Brutal. Qualsevol protecció és poca. Sort de l’escut català.
Abili i Carme
Hola Abili papa!!! Que tal? ^^
Doncs sí, superades les expectatives! Jo m’hi moro en una cosa així…diversions d’alt risc!
Flipa! Un correfoc amb casc de moto! Ha de ser bèstia per força! XD
Sobretot pels coets que tiren contra la gent :)
Verge santa! Ai senyor!!! ui la Senyera!!
Però perquè us agrada tant el foc!!
Que qui juga amb foc es pixa al llit!!!
Eiiii que us volem veure sans i estalvis
o plens de sants i estalvis,
però us volem veure!!!
I ves-te treient del cap de córrer als Sanfermines aquests!!
:-/