In Nantou County’s Zhushan, residents worship the Red Flag Marshal, the only gun-wielding god in Taiwan. This year’s COVID outbreak has led locals to organize a special ceremony, the first in 36 years, to ask for the god’s help.
Nestled in the foothills of Nantou County’s Zhushan Township stands a temple dedicated to the Red Flag Marshal. There, visitors are witnessing a uniquely Taiwanese form of worship: shooting gun-shaped firecrackers.
The ceremonial shooting of the god’s firearms for the first time in 36 years is a way of asking for his help fighting Taiwan’s COVID outbreak.
One local says this is his first time seeing the ceremony.
The Red Flag Marshal is the only gun-wielding god in Taiwan. Before he became a deity, the marshal was a sheriff named Su A-kuai during the Qing dynasty’s rule over Taiwan. Su was killed while fighting a band of bandits.
After his death, locals started seeing red lights at night. They believed it was his weapon, a sign of his continued protection of the community.
Zhushan mayor Chen Tung-mu says the gun symbolizes justice. He says policemen often come to the temple to ask the god questions.
Temple head Chen Tsung-cheng says the ceremonial shooting of the gun is a way of asking for heaven’s protection.
The god is known for helping people overcome adversity and find lost items, but he is most famous for aiding policemen in cracking tough cases. Today, worshipers have one request — to help Taiwan get life back to normal.