2025 Miaoli Bombing Dragon

The Miaoli Bombing Dragon is an extraordinary cultural event celebrated by the Hakka community in Miaoli City, Taiwan. This vibrant festival embodies the Hakka people's profound reverence for dragons and their seasonal rituals, establishing itself as the inaugural event among Taiwan's twelve major Hakka village festivals. The festival unfolds through seven captivating components: gluing the dragon, leading the dragon, dotting the eyes, welcoming the dragon, kicking the dragon, frying the dragon, and the dragon's majestic return to the sky. Each of these steps is imbued with rich symbolism, representing the community's prayers for blessings, the expulsion of malevolent spirits, and the reinforcement of social unity.
In an effort to perpetuate this cherished cultural heritage, the “2025 Miaoli Dragon Boat Festival Series” creatively synthesizes these seven steps into a comprehensive program of activities. This includes the Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Experience Camp, the revered Dragon Eye Dotting Ceremony, the spirited Cat Village Hakka Dragon Boat Race, the festive Dragon Boat Festival Carnival, and the enchanting Dragon Boat Festival Night. Moreover, the event actively invites participation from local students and elderly members of community associations, fostering an inclusive atmosphere enriched by a parent-child interactive experience. Consequently, this initiative not only deepens the residents' sense of identity and connection to their cultural roots but also plays a pivotal role in promoting and developing local cultural practices. As such, the Miaoli Bombing Dragon emerges as a benchmark for the cultural and creative industries, highlighting the importance of tradition in contemporary society.
This vibrant event is primarily organized to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Taiwan, and it commences on the ninth day of the first lunar month. During this auspicious occasion, the local mayor takes the lead, accompanied by officials and distinguished VIPs from various sectors, to present petitions and partake in ancient rituals that serve to open the eyes of the auspicious dragon. As soon as the eye-dotting ceremony concludes, more than ten magnificent auspicious dragons unite to form a divine dragon blessing formation. This enchanting display allows the public to receive the blessings of dragon energy.