Getting Ready
After the facial make-up, these boys don their costume and gears in preparation for an exciting night of 八家將 “Pat-Ka-Tsiong" (Taiwanese pronunciation) or "Ba Jia Jiang" (Mandarin pronunciation) performance.
Bajiajiang, usually translated as the ‘Eight Generals’. The eight members (almost always men) represent four ‘infernal generals’ plus the four seasonal gods of spring, summer, fall and winter. The vaguely menacing attitude they show when swaggering along the street is heightened by the ritual weapons they carry. Every aspect of their appearance is decreed by tradition, and their clothing and makeup is a photographer’s dream.
Getting Ready
After the facial make-up, these boys don their costume and gears in preparation for an exciting night of 八家將 “Pat-Ka-Tsiong" (Taiwanese pronunciation) or "Ba Jia Jiang" (Mandarin pronunciation) performance.
Bajiajiang, usually translated as the ‘Eight Generals’. The eight members (almost always men) represent four ‘infernal generals’ plus the four seasonal gods of spring, summer, fall and winter. The vaguely menacing attitude they show when swaggering along the street is heightened by the ritual weapons they carry. Every aspect of their appearance is decreed by tradition, and their clothing and makeup is a photographer’s dream.