The sky is turning bright red.
Thousands of explosions
are happening around you.
People are running and bumping into you.
No, you're not the target
of a bomb attack.
This is Taiwan's most dangerous festival.
And if you aren't careful,
it could turn deadly.
The festival takes place in the
Yanshui district of Tainan, Taiwan,
on the 14th and 15th days
of the Chinese lunar calendar.
It starts with a parade of palanquins
carrying holy figurines.
But the main event consists
of bombarding the crowds
with bottle rockets.
The main goal is to be hit
by as many flying rockets as possible
as a sign of good fortune.
But you could end up badly injured.
Catch on fire or worse.
It's not called the most dangerous
fireworks festival in the world
for nothing.
The festival started in late 1800,
when a cholera epidemic
was running rampant.
Locals set off fireworks
to attract Guangdong,
the Chinese god of war,
to their village
to save them from the deadly disease.
It worked.
The sulfur in the pyrotechnics
killed the bacteria that caused cholera
and the loud noise of the detonations
kept away the rats
that carried the disease.
The epidemic ended,
but a new tradition began.
The only way to get out
of this celebration without a scratch
is to admire its beauty,
but not take an active part.
The Gandhi Temple is where
all of the action happens.
It's surrounded by buildings
from where you can be safe
and have a great view of the fireworks.
But let's face it,
you came for the thrill of the rockets,
so let's get into the action.
You hear a siren.
It's the warning.
In seconds, those enormous boxes
called beehives
will be shooting fireworks in all directions.
Just like bees coming out of their hive.
To add to the chaos,
people from the nearby apartments
drop their own fireworks.
If you're planning to be right in the middle
of the rapid-fire,
douse yourself with water beforehand.
That'll reduce the chances
of catching fire.
The added protection
of a drenched ski suit
would do the trick, too.
If you do catch on fire,
stop, drop and roll.
Travel writer Mark Stachiew
attended the festival in 2019.
He came decked out
in a firefighter suit.
Thanks to that,
he barely felt anything
when the first shrapnel hit him.
However,
the most important thing he wore
was a motorcycle helmet with a visor.
So when another rocket exploded
inches away from his eyes,
it made his head jerk back
and he was temporarily blinded.
But the damage could have been
substantially worse
if he hadn't kept his visor
down at all times.
Let's say you want
a better view of the beehives
and get hit by a rocket to fully
immerse yourself in the experience.
Trust me when I tell you
that you still want a bit of a buffer.
Never take a front row spot.
That little extra space
being a few rows back
means it won't hurt as bad
when you get hit.
It's also a good idea
to bring a thick jacket
or a few layers of clothing
to minimize potential injury.
When attending the Yanshui Beehive
Fireworks Festival.
It would be smart to bring a basic
first aid kit with you.
A bottle of water can come in handy
to immediately cool any burns
you may suffer.
If you get hit near the eye area,
make sure nothing made it inside
your helmet.
Immediately go to the hospital
if you see or feel anything in your eyes.
You survived.
And to celebrate,
you decided to go to a concert.
As your favorite song starts.
A crowd surges around you
and you can't get out.
They keep pushing and pushing
and breathing is getting harder.
Hold on,
we can help with that too.
Here.