The custom of letting off beehive firecrackers has been a tradition since the Cing Dynasty. Legend has it that Yanshuei District was plagued by a cholera outbreak, which claimed the lives of thousands of people, in the summer of 1885. The local people prayed to gods for a miracle, and eventually, the God of War, Guan Di (Emperor Guan), answered their prayers. The staff at the Martial Temple were ordered to tour the town with a palanquin, bearing an image of the War God. The procession is led by a man dressed like the right-hand man (General Jhou Cang) of Guan Di, on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The followers march in procession and set off firecrackers (to drive away demons) until the break of dawn.
Since the epidemic died down after the ceremony, the locals have continued to practice the ritual on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month annually, in gratitude for the miracle. Now, the Yanshuei Beehive Firecrackers Festival has become a worldwide renowned event as well as the focal point of religious and folk culture in Yanshuei.
| Address | Yanshuei District, Tainan |
| Telephone | 06-6525264 (Yanshuei Martial Temple) |
| Date | The 14th and 15th days of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival) |
| Safety Precaution | The scene is tremendously spectacular and exciting, yet dangerous, so it is imperative to be fully equipped for safety, in order to prevent accidents such as the burning of eyes and perforation of eardrums. |
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| Yanshuei Beehive Firecrackers Festival | Yanshuei Beehive Firecrackers Festival |