Rocket Festival in Tainan area

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

This is an intestering story I heard from some colleagues, which sounds absurd, so I thought I ask for some additional information.

They told me about this rocket festival that takes place in a town close to Tainan during the Latern Festival 15 days after CNY. Apparently, the organizers shoot firework-type rockets at the audience to chase away the bad spirits for the coming year. People will only allowed to attend this event if the bring the proper protective gear, e.g. full-faced helmet, fireproofed clothing etc. Usually nobody dies, but people get burns and go blind when hit by a rocket in the eye, etc.

Anybody of you expats down in the south has attended this event, or knows any additional information?

2

Yen Shui is the place.

I will dig out a video a mate took a few years back and post a link. Pure madness.

Its a must do although in the last few years it has become heavily commericalised and lost a fair bit of its charm.

3

check this out: archive.org/download/YenShui … enshui.MOV

4

Thanks for the video link. This event is majorly insane. I still cannot believe that parents would take their little kids there and have them eat icecream. At least the kid is wearhing a helmet, although, it is not a full faced one.