Photo courtesy of the Miaoli County government
Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) A traditional Hakka event known as Gongpaocheng (攻炮城), where worshippers throw firecrackers, will be canceled in Miaoli County due to COVID-19, an organizer said Friday.
Kuo Chin-kuo (郭金國), who heads the committee at Cihyun Temple which hosts the annual event in Houlong Township, said this will be the first time in 37 years it has not been held.
The decision to cancel the event was finalized by committee members in view of public health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Kuo explained.
Gongpaocheng, which translates as storming the castle in English, is a Hakka event held during the Lantern Festival, a Chinese festivity celebrated on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar.