Bombing of Master Handan

Handan is a folk deity said to be afraid of the cold, and in Taitung the tradition is to warm him: a volunteer standing in for the god, bare-chested and wearing only red shorts, a face cloth and a wet towel, is carried through the streets on an open palanquin while crowds throw lit strings of firecrackers directly at him. It happens over the Lantern Festival nights alongside the wider processions, and the volunteers do it for merit and for the money collected.

The main sights

• The palanquin - the bare-chested stand-in carried through the streets.
• The firecracker throwing - lit strings thrown directly at the man on the platform.
• The protective gear - the branches, wet towel and face cloth that are the only shielding.
• The processions - the wider Lantern Festival parade the ritual moves within.

When to go

Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, so late February or early March. The ritual runs over the festival nights only. Nothing of it happens at other times.

What to expect

The volunteers are genuinely burned and injuries are routine; this is not a performance. Spectators are close to lit fireworks and eye protection and covered skin are sensible. Anyone uneasy with this should watch from well back or not at all.

Nearby

Taitung city surrounds it, and Luye is north.