This would be the "walk" that we were going on! There was even a woman who had prepared to walk with us the whole way and explain everything in English so we wouldn't be confused. The excitement around us and the willingness of everyone to help out inspired us to join in without thinking twice. We watched a few more performances of groups dancing with the dragons, listened to some members of the local government give welcome speeches to the crowd, and then set out on our way holding our very own dragon!
We learned that this festival is meant to celebrate the time when the people of Guan Shan first built the rice irrigation system that is still functioning today. Irrigation is a special watering system that helps crops to grow in dry places. When they first built the system, the townspeople walked all the way to the next town holding fire-lit lanterns to guide their way. The walk that we did symbolizes the same route that they took years ago. The festival is a way of honoring and remembering the irrigation system that has brought them a good harvest year after year.
After we walked around the town for about an hour, we came back to the temple to conclude the event. The people who helped us throughout the night gave us a bag of rice to take home, as well as some bakery treats and other snacks. We were overwhelmed by the generosity that they showed us and their dedication to their hometown. Even though we came to the event with a completely different idea of what it would be, we embraced the surprises and were constantly helped along the way. The event brought the whole community together, and we had so much fun being a part of it!
