正月十五元宵節,台灣台南市鹽水區的武廟廣場,大批民眾在一個二十多度的暖冬裡,穿上厚棉衣、長褲、手套,戴上電單車頭盔,在十字路口等待。一個獨特的宗教活動還未開始,他們已汗流夾背。約晚上七時,一車蜂炮靠近,很多抬著神轎的人將諸神靠近炮城,眾人背對蜂炮,有人點燃炮引,一下子萬箭齊發,如受襲的蜜蜂空群而出,聲音像連串嚮亮的口哨,一道道煙花刷亮夜空,但更多的是硝煙,處身其中,分不清眼前狀況,彼此不斷踏步跳動,迷幻於煙霧、強光、竹炮聲中,炮竹偶爾射在手腳上,而大家似乎樂在其中,一家大小走上街頭,尾隨著神轎隊伍,簇擁著炮城,徹夜狂歡。
鹽水蜂炮的習俗歷史悠久,源於清朝光緒年,那時鹽水地區瘟疫流行,造成多人死亡,民眾為求神靈保佑,請關聖帝君繞境驅邪,沿途施放煙火炮竹達旦,以除晦氣,此後,疫情居然消退,故居民每年於元宵放炮祈福,答謝神恩,遂演變成今日的鹽水蜂炮。縱然不乏被炮竹燙傷的意外,鹽水蜂炮每年吸引大批遊人前來參觀,為期兩天的繞境,引燃上百座炮城,地上和天上都是煙火,剎那綻放又迅速消逝,人們亢奮地不斷"衝蜂炮",直到棉衣上佈滿燻黑燒焦的痕跡,至凌晨二時多,待人群漸漸散去,深夜小城的街道,才回復往常的寂靜。
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