Chinese New Year Day 14: Let’s Blow Stuff Up.

The Yanshui Firework Festival takes place tomorrow in Tainan, located 40 km north of Kaohsiung. Also known as the Beehive Rocket Festival, it has been deemed the 5th most dangerous festival in the world.

The event is compromised of bottle rockets, ritualistic dancing, and good food. Who could ask for anything more? But to make it to the good eats, you must pass the barrage of fireworks unscathed. For safety purposes, the Taiwanese wear protective gear such as full face motorbike helmets, layers of shirts and pants,  jackets, and protective gloves. Regardless of these efforts, many are injured every year.

The festival originated during a cholera epidemic more than a century ago, when the villagers lit massive amounts of explosives to chase away the evil demons causing the plague. In this case, the fireworks worked and the cholera outbreak abated. Because of the success, the festival, also known as Feng Pao, is held every year on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.

Well, tomorrow is the 15th day of the New Year. Question is, should I stay in Kaohsiung and bask in the safety of its tame firework festival? Or should I be adventurous (or from what some of the locals are telling me “crazy”), and venture to the festivities in Tainan?

Helmet clad Taiwanese in efforts to shield themselves from the barrage of firecrackers.