Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival

The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival (Chinese: 鹽水蜂炮; Tongyong Pinyin: Yánshuěi Fōngpào; Tâi-lô: Kiâm-tsuí phang-á-phàu) is an annual religious festival held in Yanshuei District, Tainan, Taiwan, during the Lantern Festival at the end of Lunar New Year celebrations. The event takes place on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Lunisolar calendar and is known for its distinctive "beehive" fireworks, which launch large numbers of rockets into crowds of participants.^[1]

The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive Lantern Festival celebrations in Taiwan and a major religious event in Tainan that has been celebrated for more than 140 years.^[2] The ritual elements of the festival reflect local beliefs that the fireworks can dispel bad luck and bring prosperity in the coming year. The festival is organized primarily by the Yanshui Martial Temple and has also become a tourist attraction, drawing visitors from across Taiwan and abroad who come to observe or participate in the event. Participants commonly wear protective clothing, helmets, and gloves due to the risk posed by the fireworks, thus it was listed as one of the "10 dangerous festivals" by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 2014.^[3]

According to local tradition, the festival originated in 1885 during Taiwan under Qing rule. At that time, Yanshuei was an important trading town connected to a network of canals near the historic city of Tainan. The town reportedly suffered from outbreaks of plague and cholera for several years.^[4]

Local residents prayed to the deity Guan Yu, seeking protection from disease. According to the legend, a shaman instructed residents that the deity would parade through the town on the night of the Lantern Festival and should be welcomed with firecrackers and fireworks. The resulting procession, accompanied by the lighting of large numbers of firecrackers, was believed to have driven away disease and misfortune. The custom continued annually and evolved into the modern festival.^[5]

In 2021, the festival was briefly considered for cancellation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, but organizers ultimately proceeded with a scaled-down version of the event in order to maintain the long-standing religious tradition associated with warding off disease.^[6][7]

The festival's most distinctive feature is the use of "beehive" fireworks (Chinese: 蜂炮; Tongyong Pinyin: Fōngpào; Tâi-lô: Phang-á-phàu), which are launching structures densely packed with small rocket fireworks. When ignited, thousands of rockets are fired outward simultaneously in rapid succession, resembling a swarm of bees leaving a hive.^[8]

Early versions consisted of simple wooden frames that directed rockets in one or two directions. Over time, the design evolved into larger multi-level structures with metal bases and lattice frames that allow bottle rockets to be mounted and fired in multiple directions and at different angles. Beehives vary in size and may contain thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands, of rockets connected to a central fuse.^[4] The towers are often decorated with paper designs and usually mounted on wooden frames or towers. They are positioned along streets or in open areas where crowds gather and typically ignited when the palanquin carrying the statue of Guan Yu passes during the religious procession.^[9]

Historically, the fireworks used during the procession were primarily traditional firecrackers and strings of small explosives. After the end of World War II in 1945, bottle rockets began to be widely used in the festival. By the 1980s the construction of rocket towers had become more elaborate, and in 1984 paper wads used in the rockets were replaced with plastic components, producing a louder whistling sound when launched. When the beehive towers are ignited, large numbers of rockets are discharged in rapid succession, creating continuous flashes of light and loud explosions that illuminate the surrounding streets.^[4]

Unlike conventional fireworks displays that launch rockets into the sky, beehive fireworks are directed horizontally into crowds of participants. Being struck by a rocket is widely regarded by participants as a sign of good fortune for the coming year.^[10]

The festival typically lasts two days and coincides with the Lantern Festival. Activities begin with religious processions departing from Yanshui Martial Temple, during which sedan chairs carrying statues of deities are carried through the streets of the district. Fireworks are set off along the procession route as the palanquins pass through neighborhoods.^[11]

During the event, numerous temporary "fireworks fortresses" or beehive structures are constructed by local residents, businesses, and temple groups. Some structures are decorated or designed with themed shapes or figures. The largest fireworks displays usually occur on the evening of the Lantern Festival. In addition to the beehive fireworks fired into crowds, larger displays may be launched in open areas such as sports fields, allowing spectators to observe from safer distances.^[12]

Due to the large number of rockets launched at close range, participants typically wear protective equipment such as motorcycle helmets, fire-resistant clothing, gloves, and scarves. Vendors in the town sell protective gear during the festival period.^[13] Authorities implement traffic control measures and crowd management plans due to the large number of visitors. Spectators who do not wish to participate directly often watch the fireworks from designated viewing areas outside the main firing zones. Despite these precautions, dozens of participants and spectators are injured during the festival every year.^[14]

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