Text / Compiled and Reported by Li Xinyi, MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network
The God of Fire Has Arrived！The grand finale of the “Romantic Siraya – Summer Love” series of events, the “God of Fire Festival,” will be held on August 11 in Guanzilin, Baihe District. The Siraya National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said that the “God of Fire Festival” blends Taiwanese and Japanese festival cultures. It not only features Taiwan’s first-ever mountain cart parade comparable to Narita’s yG Garden Festival, but also includes a yokai (monsters and ghosts) street carnival, a creative costume ball, and live performances by bands and dance troupes.
The “God of Fire Festival” will take place on Saturday (the 11th) in Guanzilin, featuring both a mountain cart parade and a yokai street carnival. (Photo provided / Siraya National Scenic Area Administration)
Guanzilin is most famous for its mud hot springs, and the guardian deity of the springs is none other than the God of Fire. Hu Boxiong, chairman of the Guanzilin God of Fire Temple Management Committee, explained that the God of Fire in Guanzilin is not the Fire God of the traditional Taiwanese folk belief system, but rather the “Central Acala” from Kyushu, Japan. Acala is an incarnation of Vairocana and is considered the central figure among the Five Wisdom Kings (guardian deities) of Esoteric Buddhism, as well as the leader of the Eight Great Wisdom Kings. In 1902, when the Japanese developed the Guanzilin hot springs, they erected a statue of Acala above the hot spring source to pray for safety, and later raised funds to build a temple. Every year, hot spring operators draw lots to select a “furnace master” to preside over the rituals, ensuring the continuous flow of the springs. Hence, the “God of Fire” can be regarded as the guardian deity of Guanzilin’s hot springs.
The “God of Fire Festival” will be held on August 11 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The activities include a mountain cart parade and yokai street carnival from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM at Guanzilin Baoquan Bridge Hot Spring Park. The public can unleash their creativity and imagination by dressing up as their version of the God of Fire or in various yokai-themed costumes to participate in the cart parade and street carnival. Street performers will also be present to entertain the crowd, taking the excitement of the God of Fire Festival to new heights. This will be followed by a creative costume ball and live performances by bands and dance troupes from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, transforming the venue into an outdoor pub with dazzling light and sound effects.
During the festival, the public can interact with yokai and also join the God of Fire mountain cart parade and themed costume activities. (Photo provided / Siraya National Scenic Area Administration)
On the day of the mountain cart parade, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, there will be a full road closure along the section from Hongye Tunnel Entrance to Guanling Church. Vehicles are prohibited from entering. Small cars may detour via Cukeng Road to Dongshan, while large vehicles can use County Highway 172B to reach Guanzilin. For details, please visit the official website: www.siraya-nsa.gov.tw.
● Read More: The Most Adorable Moment in Taitung’s Sky – Pirate and Mushroom Hot Air Balloons Take Flight
http://goo.gl/8xN98