Bombarding Handan：faith In Flames

• Photographer
  Bernie Hsu
• Photo Date
  February 12, 2025

In Taiwan, the annual Lantern Festival is regarded as a “Little New Year,” symbolizing reunion and the continuation of the new year’s spirit. In Taitung, the vibrant ritual of “Bombarding Lord Handan” is more than a festive celebration—it is a powerful embodiment of communal bonds and religious devotion. Devotees take on the blasts of firecrackers with their own bodies, a symbolic act to cast away misfortune from the past year and to welcome blessings of peace, prosperity, and renewal in the year to come.