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We hope you enjoy these freeze frame images taken from our documentary and vast archive, (11 years) covering this unique religious event. -
the literally 'blinding' - ' feng pao' festival.
It has been described as a "exorcism of fire" - the common belief is that this unique procession and firework barrage comemorate the burning away of a plague, or 'evil wind'. Modern scholars equate the disease with the black plague and or cholera also prevalent ,during the 1880's. Similar to the traditional chinese new years celebrations, loud crackers scare away the ghosts of the past,finished year , and bright fireworks and lanterns usher in a new, fresh season. Here the celebration is more extreme.. , the rockets -sometimes tens of thousands ,fuses woven together - are shot horizontally into the crowd ! With a cascade of sound to seal the last year in the past, expelling any lingering ghosts ,and I dare say, scaring the rats away too!
Odd to think that the ancient Taoists discovered what we know as " gun powder " while searching for the elixir of eternal life !!
Local temples and shrines mainly Taoist and Buddhist build huge walls of rockets, known as "beehives", and field teams of bearers to carry their deities into the line of fire. As a religious festival it combines a number of deities from the pantheon of Chinese and Taiwanese revered figures ( Taoist, Confucian, Buddhist, Legalist, etc ).
Guan gong, the celebrated ancient general, as the predominant deity, always leads the processions here, his huge red face and halberd make him stand out.
The origins and development of this annual extravaganza are shrouded in mystery ..a number of conflicting theories abound (plague ,etc..for details and the controvesy..( being explained below,humourously, by Chen sea San, the curator of the oldest temple here, with our researcher Guy Nott. Chen speaks taiwanese and mandarin only. but is very witty! )
at the very least.
Every year, in spite of improved 'Armour' , most of the crew have been burned to varying degrees ,
.
After 12 hours of intense whistling and banging, in the pale first rays of dawn the festival winds up : the first day of the chinese new year.
WARNING: PLEASE DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME .
If you go - be prepared, see this documentary! WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T FORGET real protection. 
Please don't hesitate to contact us - HughNott@yahoo.co.uk (Spillinglight@yahoo.com) We have rolling footage on all sorts of formats ( dv ,35 ,16mm etc.)
The full documentary, distilled from over eleven years of coverage, includes interviews with the principle organizers (from the earliest founded temples) , and therefore the principal characters in the recent evolution of the festival from a 'eastern' perspective.
The full documentary ,including interviews in chinese,translated, with the key organisers of the region - is possibly available on DVD !!
" Please bookmark this page .....watch this space-!"
..."Awesome,Awesome," was about the only word repeated one year, while driving the long hard morning slog back to northern Taiwan...(Remember Eh? Sue?,Lin? Bob? )
Its our hope that this hard won footage will thrill you as it has us.
..."take care,
it can be literally- Blinding!"-the guvnor. ..Special thanks and respect to the intrepid "Live action" Film crews...Hugh Nott, John"surf"(sound,kung fu),Tom (16mm )
Further thanks to the London production crew: Hugh Nott (Director/cameraman), Tom Pierce(Terramaya Pictures-Camera/line producer :)The sound geezers- Dj Guya, Dj Emmett , mixer che manic, Rocket pros, shroom, michael,Geoffo Kai, Mr wong, the'Geni'- Douglas Nelson.,Donica Pearson (Catering par excellence!)
The team would also like to thank our supporters , friends and families . - Sophie & Ellie, Jules, India, Denise and Bill.
"Am Mi Tuor Fo"
Copyright 2004 All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
