°·﹒就是愛鹽水×

The Chinese New Year, also called “the Spring Festival” is the biggest event in the Chinese society. In the ceremony normally from the Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival, which is on the 15^th of January. The Taiwan government not only legislates the Lantern Festival as the Sightseeing Holiday but also legislates three days ahead and after the Lantern Festival as the Sightseeing Week. On the same day, the Taiwan society also holds grand lantern exhibitions. In addition, there are also two well-know folk activities, which often gathers thousands of people, are called “the North Lantern Ceremony” in Ping Xi, Taipei county and “the South Firecracker Ceremony” in Yan Shui Town, Tainan County.

In Qing Dynasty, Yan Shui is one of significant harbor across the strait. There was a saying about the origin of Yan Shui firecrackers cultural ceremony. In the Quang Xu 11^th year, many citizens living in the Yan Shui Street were infected with cholera and plague and also caused many negative effects to the whole society. Due to the primitive medical condition at the time, the diseases gradually took more lives and cause many citizens more panic. The local businessmen and respectable gentlemen suggested to summon the “Guan Holy Sovereign” to give blessings to the citizens in the town and also to play firecrackers while the “Guan Holy Sovereign” visiting the town for three days from the 13^th to 15^th of the January.

The ceremony t summon the “Guan Holy Sovereign” for visiting the town finally terminated the entire plague tumors to bring peace back the Yan Shui Town . Moreover, it becomes the yearly local custom to summon the “Guan Holy Sovereign” for visiting the town on the Lantern Festival while playing firecrackers along the way. It not only inherits the custom to terminate the plague, but also revolves any social insecurity, social disorder and business decay due to invasion from the outside world and corruption from the inner society through the ceremony. The simple firecracker-playing activities gradually turn into more diversified and bigger event, which have also established more than 180-year world known reputation to the Yan Shui Town.