At the end of last day of Lantern Festival in Taiwan, and when all the dragons had successfully walked through all the yards for bribes collection then, it is a time for probably main event in whole Miaoli, for what this place is known the best - Bombing the Dragon, or Welcoming The Dragon event held in Miaoli.
It's a Hakka people tradition, held at Lantern Festival time.
The lighting of firecrackers originated from the Hakka tradition of
“Welcoming the Dragon” on Lantern Festival. Spectators throw
firecrackers towards a dancing dragon to ask for blessings for the New
Year.
And when I say firecrackers - then there is a LOT of firecrackers and there is a lot of sound, and there is a lot of people. And a lot of dragons at whom all the sparkling stuff is being thrown at.
Well, will show you how it looks like, as I visited this event in February 2009.
You can go with me now.
First of all - what you should remember, and prepare accordingly BEFORE you go to this event:
1. Plan to come earlier, at least not later than 7 at evening, because you will have no space to park, all the freeways at Miaoli outskirts will be stacked with cars, and sometimes it's needed to walk 20 min's. If you have girlfriend on high heals or 2 kids, both you will later need bring on your own neck, if you park wrong;
2. Seek for parking turning everywhere on side streets going in the farm, rather than standing on a freeway, there is hard to move through by car since a lot of people walk, but sooner or later parking place will be - near the farm. Just do not fall down with your car to the farm ground, when park on paved road - it's higher.
3. It's suggested to not take a small kids with you, the smaller they are - bigger the risk and inconvenience for you. Why?
Because once you are up on a hill what's used for spectators place - you will need start elbowing exercise, and if you happen to be a less tall than everyone else here, then you are going to have hard times.
Check this:
Anyway,always there is someone who wants to risk:
If you successfully elbowed your way to left side of this small trail, you are going to see a scene, where everyone is still waiting a dragon, and show woman announces various officials who came up here to see the show.
Besides, there is a usual fireworks to entertain a crowd until a dragon prepares shoes for dancing. Again, even with my not a very small height, I could not see clearly all - imagine a those who are less than 1.70 m though. And here they come:
Oh yes, cameras. Cameras - mostly mobile phones (I always just amazed to see a crowd of people recording a fireworks in a sky by mobile phone - do they ever watch it?). And most funny is that they watch the fireworks then through the mobile phone - it reminds me a story about a man who can't notice a dolphins right in front of him, because is busy filming them.
If you do not like a sounds, then, well this is not a festival for you. It seems that a motto for this here is - the louder the better, and this is why soon after the a bomb throwing starts, smoke covers all the scene, so, finally you see only shadows moving around between wild splashes of fire. Anyway, impressive.
Now, right behind you there, are a night market - specially hosted for this event, a really interesting and delicious selection of various Hakka and western Taiwan and not only dishes. Let's walk through, and watch what they have.
And now, let's analyze most interesting and useful ones.
Barbecue.. A really juicy one, here just wait's for your hunger.
Eggs. Else are part of the Taiwan foods culture, I already had gathered a collection of egg's seller here in Taiwan so, it will be a separate post on this topic.
Vinegar made from plums. And plums in vinegar..
Red sugar cooked so, that it has also some dry fruit inside. Longan fruit inside:
龍眼 - Longan
Potatoes in sweet sauce.
Nuts and chicken..
Fried vegetables
Bergamot - good for throat when dried
佛手柑
Some cookies
Pao Cai - Chinese pickled vegetables, spicy....
Left one is apricot seeds cooked so, that can eat, sweet gourmet. And the right one is, pumpkin seeds, again sweet prepared.
Sea food - cooked in this way. English name - spray, chinese name - Hua Zhi.
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