Out of the Water and into the Flames-Yehliu's Harbor Cleansing

The Lantern Festival, which falls on the15th day of the first lunar month, is celebrated throughout Taiwan. Among its more famous observances are the fireworks displays in Yanshui down south and the release of sky lanterns in Pinghsi up north. Not to miss out on the fun, Yehliu, a fishing village on the North Coast, celebrates in its own way-by "cleansing the harbor." The ceremony has a 180-year history, and it attracts large crowds despite the chilly winter weather.

This year, workers gathered at Yehliu's Paoan Temple early in the morning to "invite" the temple's deities, Kaizhang Shengwang, Mazu, and the Earth God, onto palanquins, which were paraded around the village to offer blessings and ward off evil. Under the leadership of Taipei County commissioner Chou Hsi-wei, the gods' palanquins were then loaded onto boats. A fleet of 12 fishing boats grandly circled the harbor in a ceremony that aimed to bring abundant hauls of fish in the coming year.

At 10:30 the unique jumping-into-the-harbor ceremony began. Eight statues of gods were shaken crazily, and then, amid fervent shouts from the crowd, the palanquins and their bearers entered the freezing seawater. The gods are said to use their powers to purify the harbor's water, provide peace and security, and bring trouble-free fishing in the year ahead. Supported by their squads of palanquin bearers, they slowly traversed some 100 meters to a dock on the opposite side of the harbor. People swarmed to be the first to place their incense sticks in the ceremonial cauldron. Meanwhile, local businesses had prepared some potent ginger soup to drive away the chill.

Next the gods' palanquins were brought to the edge of the sea for the fire-crossing ceremony, which was led by a 90-year-old Taoist priest known as "Uncle Fu." He first cleansed the ceremonial ground, before chanting some spells, laying down some charms written on strips of paper and blowing on a horn. Finally, he began the ceremony of "crossing fire" by scattering rice and salt, so as to lower the temperature. At the auspicious moment, the bearers excitedly ran barefoot through the flames amid explosions of firecrackers. Pious devotees-both men and women-followed.

It is thought that the gods gain power by crossing the fire and that the believers who follow add to their personal health and security. Whether true or not, who knows? But after watching this baptism by fire and water, one can say with certainty that the devotees who observe the festivities forge stronger ties with their deities.