Hengchun greased pole race marks Ghost Month in Taiwan

恆春「搶孤」象徵著台灣的鬼月

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hengchun Township held its 150-year-old “Chiang Ku” competition on Saturday evening, inviting 17 teams to climb towering greased poles to snatch a flag placed at the top.

The event began with firecrackers as teams worked together to form human pyramids to reach the top. The contest is a test of teamwork, endurance, and speed, per CNA.

Some teams fell behind and were unable to complete the climb because of the grease. A team representing Shih Hsin Funerary Services (石心生命禮儀) took the lead from the outset and was able to capture the flag at the top and strike the gong.

The tradition began as a way for wealthy families to distribute offerings made on Ghost Day (the 15th day of the seventh lunar month) to the poor. Due to chaotic distributions in the past, the families in 1879 decided to make it a competition, placing goods high above poles covered in beef tallow.

The contest soon became a dangerous spectacle, leading to its ban during the Japanese colonial period. It was held only intermittently until being reinstated fully in 1981.

In 2007, the original four poles were expanded to 36. The following year, the event was officially recognized as a cultural activity, and in 2011, the height of the poles was raised to 23 meters, increasing the difficulty and allowing foreign teams to participate.