Sunday, March 29, 2009

Swinging His Way to Heaven





A unique religious festival takes place in Chiayi City in southern Taiwan every few years, according to the lunar calendar, in which a giant bamboo swing is slung over a giant bamboo swing set -- with participants invited to swing as high as they can and in so doing bring blessings upon themselves and their loved ones. About 1,000 festival-goers flock to a small shrine near Chiayi University to watch the entertaining festivities. Kids, especially, love the spectacle!

Warning: don't try this at home!

6 comments:

DANIELBLOOM said...

Good gosh
old men swing 3 buildings high

The full white hair's old man, stands on 3 meter high swing makes an effort to proceed to swing, swings high, under the audience cheers is louder. Audience: “a bit faster, a bit faster.” 70 year-old man both hands closely hold the swing, more swings is higher, has a look to suspend nearby swing's gauge rule, venerable swings to 3 buildings is high, what is really the boldness because of one's skill, not only so, he also asks the human to perform together two person swings. Participant: “squats pushes out like this, behind pulls back like this again.” The participant more swings is higher, watches the populace to look scared, as soon as but careful looked, these 12 meter high swing frame, is bamboo making completely, under does not have the security protecting wire net, on the participant body only then the safety belt with the snap ring, let the human look really has pinched cold sweat. Participant: among “the sole cannot tread, must tread in front here, is like this quite powerful.” In order to celebrate the Daoist deity birthday, holds the swinging big game in the Jiayi temple, was originally the same year must expel plague to swing the ceremony, now instead became has attracted tourist's advertisement.

Anonymous said...

好膽量!七旬翁盪3樓高 民眾驚呼
TVBS╱辜士陞 2009-03-29 19:23 調整字級:
滿頭白髮的老翁,站在3公尺高的鞦韆上用力地往前盪,盪得越高,底下觀眾的歡呼就越大聲。觀眾:「快點,快點。」


70歲的老翁雙手緊緊抓住鞦韆,越盪越高,看看擺在鞦韆旁邊的量尺,老先生盪到3層樓高,真的是藝高人膽大,不只如此,他還找人一起表演雙人盪鞦韆。參賽者:「蹲這樣推出去,後面再這樣拉回來。」


參賽者越盪越高,觀賞民眾看得傻眼,但仔細一看,這12公尺高的鞦韆架,完全是竹子打造,底下沒有安全護網,參賽者身上只有安全帶跟扣環,實在讓人看了捏一把冷汗。參賽者:「腳掌不能踏中間,要踏在前面這裡,這樣比較有力。」


為了慶祝玄天上帝誕辰,在嘉義市廟宇舉辦盪鞦韆大賽,原本是當年要趕走瘟疫的盪鞦韆儀式,現在反成了吸引觀光客的招牌。

DANIELBLOOM said...

快點,快點

Anonymous said...

嘉義市光路里 高空盪鞦韆大賽29日登場
中廣新聞網╱劉怡伶 2009-03-29 06:01 調整字級:
嘉義市「光路里」社區至今仍保留一項傳襲200多年的高空盪鞦韆大賽,高達十多公尺的鞦韆架已經夠嚇人,再加上驚心動魄的擺盪,讓人直呼過癮;今天(3月29日)將再度登場。

兩三百年前,嘉義市光路里居民經常感染疾病,直到向福建分靈而來的(玄天上帝)祈求後,才逐漸改善,居民酬神慶祝,有人以長竹架設鞦韆架,進行競賽;每根竹子的長度都要高過12公尺,直徑也要超過規定的尺寸,約農曆過年左右,就要開始尋找竹子材料,而且必須在玄天上帝廟前擺設香案祝禱後,安樁妥當,以保安全。

鞦韆架整個架構分為8格,代表八卦無極,當地稱這種鞦韆架為「千秋架」,代表玄天上帝的無上神威。

高空盪鞦韆比賽已是光路里的特色文化,當地青少年自幼接受這項技能訓練,每逢比賽踴躍參加,展現高空擺盪的不凡身手。

DANIELBLOOM said...

In the Jiayi path of rays the upper air swinging big game on 29th is taken to the threshing ground Broad news net ╱ Liu Yiling 2009-03-29 06:01 Adjustment character level: Jiayi “in the path of rays” the community still retains an item of biography to raid more than 200 years upper air until now to swing the big game, reached as high as more than ten meter swing already 夠 scary, in addition soul-stirring swaying, let the human shout straight satisfies a craving; Today (on March 29) will be taken to the threshing ground once again. 200-300 years ago, in the Jiayi path of rays the resident infects disease frequently, until divides the spirit after Fujian to come (Daoist deity which) implores, only then gradually improves, the resident repays the god celebration, some people erect the swing frame by the long bamboo, carries on the competition; Each bamboo's length wants the high 12 meters, the diameter also to surpass the stipulation the size, approximately about the lunar calendar new year's celebration, must start to seek for the bamboo material, moreover must decorate after the Daoist deity temple the incense table prays, the peaceful pile is appropriate, guarantees the security. A swing entire construction divides into 8 standards, represents the Eight Diagrams to be limitless, the locality said that this kind of swing frame is “the century frame”, represents Daoist deity's unsurpassed invincible might. The upper air swings the competition already is in path of rays's characteristic culture, the local young people accepted this skill training since childhood, participates enthusiastically on the competition, unfolds the uncommon skill which the upper air sways.

DANIELBLOOM said...

高空