Bombing Lord Handan: WuPeiChun Documents Faith Amid the Firecrackers
At the World Grand Prix Photography Awards 2026 Autumn Season, WuPeiChun received the Platinum Award in Documentary & People Photography for 炸邯鄲 (Bombing Lord Handan). The winning work offers a distinct perspective on its subject, bringing the photographer’s individual approach to the foreground.
"Bombing Handan" is a ritual of faith woven from fire and firecrackers. As the firecrackers detonate, the air fills with flashes of light, thick smoke, and a flurry of shredded paper—obscuring one’s vision and nearly swallowing the human figures, leaving behind only their silhouettes still standing amidst the chaos.
In this tumult, I witness a unique form of trust—a bond between humanity and the divine, characteristic of Taiwanese folk belief. People, in their own flesh and blood, step into the inferno, entrusting their hopes for peace and blessings to the deities.
The elusive, flickering presence of the deity merges with the people amidst the smoke. It is as if the deity watches from beyond the sea of fire, while the mortals walk straight into its heart.
At the precise moment between the explosive roar and the ensuing silence, I pressed the shutter—capturing the point where humanity and faith draw closest together.
Interview
Could you share the story behind your award-winning photograph?
What inspired you to capture this moment?
I originally photographed Bombing Lord Handan simply because I was visiting a temple festival and happened to be there. What caught my attention was the sight of people willingly enduring the impact of firecrackers with their own bodies as an expression of their faith.
I often wonder what brings each of them there. Perhaps some are fulfilling vows, giving thanks, or praying for their families. I don’t know their individual stories, and I don’t want to assume that I understand their reasons. I was simply there, witnessing a moment that moved me, and I chose to document it.
Sometimes, a photograph begins with nothing more than being in the right place, seeing something that stays with you, and wanting to share that moment with others.
What were the biggest creative or technical challenges you faced while capturing this image, and how did you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges was that I had never received formal photography training. I was constantly trying to figure out how to adjust my camera settings, how to shoot through the thick smoke, and how to avoid overexposing the image. Honestly, I was learning as I went.
Another challenge was much more unpredictable: the firecrackers themselves!
During the Bombing Lord Handan ritual, the statue of Han Dan Ye stands on a palanquin carried by people, while participants continuously light firecrackers and throw them toward the deity. The firecrackers are unpredictable, and the sound is absolutely deafening. Even if you think you’re standing safely off to the side, the palanquin might pass right by you, and suddenly you’re getting bombarded along with everyone else! 😂
At those moments, I genuinely didn’t know whether I should keep taking pictures or run for cover.
I simply kept adjusting my camera settings until I finally got the exposure right. Somehow, just when everything came together, I managed to capture the moment.
I guess I really was blessed by the gods that day!
How do you balance technical precision with emotional or artistic expression in your photography?
My profession is actually law. As a lawyer, I work in an environment that demands a great deal of rational thinking, careful analysis, and objectivity. Perhaps because of this, photography has become the place where I allow myself to be the most emotional.
The motto on my photography page is: “Warmth matters more than anything.”
I care deeply about the warmth and humanity in a photograph. I am not particularly drawn to grand landscapes or images that seem destined to win awards at first glance. Instead, I take photographs when I see something in a scene that I want others to notice—something that makes me feel a connection or allows a little human warmth to shine through.
I have never received formal photography training, and I don’t think of myself as someone who relies on sophisticated techniques. I simply use the camera I have to capture the moments that move me. If there is one thing that guides my photography, it is love.
To me, photography is not just about showing people what something looks like. It is about sharing why that moment matters to me, and hoping that someone else might feel something when they see it, too.
What emotions or themes do you hope viewers will take away from this photograph?
As a Taiwanese person, I grew up in a place where gods and folk beliefs are deeply woven into everyday life. Taiwan may be a small island, but temples can be found everywhere, and festivals and religious ceremonies take place throughout the year.
For many Taiwanese people, faith is not something separate from our daily lives. It is part of our culture, our memories, our families, and the way we connect with one another. It is deeply rooted in our lives and cannot simply be taken away.
What moved me about the participants in Bombing Lord Handan was not merely their willingness to endure the firecrackers, but the devotion and conviction behind their actions. I may not know what each person believes in or what brought them there, but I could feel how deeply they committed themselves to their faith.
Through this photograph, I hope people from other parts of the world can catch a glimpse of Taiwanese religious culture and understand that, behind what may appear to be an extraordinary or even unbelievable ritual, there is a profound personal connection to faith.
I don’t need everyone to interpret the photograph in the same way. I simply hope it helps them see and appreciate a part of Taiwan that they may not have known before.
In your opinion, what role does photography play in today's world?
To me, photography is more than just a hobby. It is a tool I use to communicate with the world: to show people what I care about, what I believe is worth seeing, and what I hope can be preserved for future generations.
Time only moves forward. Once a moment has passed, we can never truly return to it. Photography gives us a way to hold on to those fleeting moments, preserving fragments of time that would otherwise disappear.
I believe photography is not only about recording what the world looks like today, but also about deciding what we want future generations to remember. Whether it is a religious ritual, a cultural tradition, or an ordinary moment in someone’s life, a photograph can carry its story beyond the moment itself.
For me, that is what makes photography meaningful. It allows me to preserve the moments I care about and share them with people who may never have had the chance to witness them firsthand.
Editor’s Note
The force of Bombing Lord Handan lies in its proximity to a living ritual, where smoke, sound and physical exposure become part of an act of faith. The photograph asks viewers to recognise the participants as people rather than reduce the scene to spectacle.
WuPeiChun's reflections on uncertainty and empathy are particularly important here. Documentary work is strongest when curiosity remains accompanied by respect for what the photographer cannot know.
About the Photographer
Sasha 沙夏
My photography focuses primarily on Taiwan’s traditional religious culture, folk beliefs, temple festivals, and the people who keep these traditions alive. My motto is, “Warmth matters more than anything.” I hope my photographs can preserve meaningful moments and help more people discover the beauty and depth of Taiwanese culture.
You are warmly invited to explore my work and follow my photography journey.
Instagram: Sasha 沙夏｜沙夏_攝影
About the World Grand Prix Photography Awards
The World Grand Prix Photography Awards (WGPPA) is an international photography competition recognising creative achievement across photographic disciplines. Its winning works and selected editorial interviews, published through WODACC, offer photographers opportunities to present both their images and the ideas behind them to a wider audience. For emerging and established photographers considering international awards, these published winner stories provide concrete examples of how creative work can be showcased beyond the award announcement.
Explore the World Grand Prix Photography Awards: https://www.wgppa.com/
