200 Cannon Forts Set to Fire on the 13th — Full Guide to Experiencing the “Cannon Barrage” of Yanshui Beehive Rockets

▲Yanshui Beehive Rockets firing en masse as participants, fully protected, dodge and jump through the barrage. (Photo / From the Taiwan Tourism Year Calendar website of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, archival image)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Ready to experience the Yanshui Beehive Rockets? Ranked among the world’s top three folk festivals, the spectacular display of thousands of rockets firing in unison like swarming bees will take place again on the 14th day of the lunar month and during the Lantern Festival. This year, there will be over 200 large and small cannon forts, with the main fort featuring a 48-foot-long, 12-foot-high design of “Guan Yu Riding the Red Hare,” accompanied by dazzling aerial fireworks. Organizers remind visitors to be “fully geared up” to endure the bee-hive rocket baptism.

▲A massive barrage of beehive rockets fires like a swarm leaving the hive, shooting toward participants and ceremonial palanquins. (Photo / From the Taiwan Tourism Year Calendar website of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, archival image)

The main events of the 2014 Yanshui Beehive Rockets include daytime and nighttime palanquin parades, traditional performance troupes, and the highlight — the firing of the rockets — taking place on the 13th and 14th. Organizers said that the parades all start from Wu Temple, with various small artillery stations firing rockets along the route. The first day’s parade begins at 8 a.m., while the nighttime parade sets off at 6 p.m.; the second day’s morning parade starts at 7:30 a.m., with the nighttime departure at the same time.

Click here for the 2014 Yanshui Beehive Rockets Lantern Festival Parade Route<<<<<<

The most thrilling concentrated rocket firing will begin at 8 p.m. on the 14th at the Yanshui Junior High School playground, starting with medium and small artillery stations, and ending with the 500,000-TWD main artillery station. In addition to the rockets, 22 themed lantern areas of theMoon River Lantern Festivalwill also be displayed around Moon River Harbor, Qiaonan Old Street, North Emperor Temple, Yongcheng Theater, Yiyin Alley, and Wangye Temple Alley.

▲Top: 2014 Moon River Lantern Festival lantern displays; Bottom: Recommended attire for experiencing Yanshui Beehive Rockets. (Photos / Provided by Urban Art Studio; from the Yanshui Beehive Rockets official website)

The Tainan City Fire Department advises that visitors should be fully prepared before experiencing the bee-hive rockets. Standard protective gear includes a full-face safety helmet, a high-neck, long-sleeved thick cotton top, a scarf, a mask, and thick cotton gloves. For the lower body, wear tight-fitting thick pants, thick cotton socks, and high-top safety boots. Finally, check that there are no gaps on the face or body where rockets could enter.

Organizers noted that this year, the day after the Lantern Festival falls on a weekend holiday, with an expected influx of 500,000 visitors to the small town of Yanshui. Visitors are encouraged to use public transport to avoid traffic jams ruining their experience. For transportation and event information related to the Yanshui Beehive Rockets, please contactthe event’s official website.

▲2014 Yanshui Beehive Rockets main events. (Photo / from the Yanshui Beehive Rockets official website)