'Broom Grandpa' keeps tradition alive in Taitung

Taipei, Sept. 3 (CNA) At 98 years old, "Broom Grandpa" Chang Shui (張水) can still be found carrying a bundle of handmade brooms over his shoulder as he strolls the streets of Taitung County in southeastern Taiwan, calling out to passersby in his signature sing-song tone.

For more than six decades, his strong hands have tied mountain grass and rattan into durable brooms -- tools that sweep not only dust, but also carry the warmth of human connection and a living piece of Taiwanese folk culture.

Chang, affectionately known as "Old Chang the Broom Seller," once sold his products across Taiwan. These days, he mostly stays in the eastern Taiwan county, where locals eagerly track his whereabouts on social media and rush to buy his brooms before he sells out.

Despite often declaring that each time will be his last, Chang always returns to the streets to sell his wares.

His signature brooms are tied with tiger grass and rattan strips, requiring exceptional wrist strength to bind tightly.

"If the knot isn't tight, the broom loosens after a few sweeps and no one will want it," Chang said with pride. "Mine can last five years. People trust me. Some even buy over a 100."

Chang's creations serve more than household needs. During Taitung's famed "Han Dan God" festival, his brooms are waved between "heaven and earth" during firecracker bombardments, earning the name "tiandi sao" (heaven-and-earth brooms).

Believers say the brooms, once blessed in the fiery ritual, carry protective powers against evil. Smaller versions, dubbed "lucky brooms," adorn homes, temples, and even Indigenous households as talismans of blessing and protection.

For longtime residents, spotting Chang on the streets is a cherished ritual.

"His back is as straight as the brooms he sells," said Cheng Kuo-cheng (鄭國正), a local historian from Chenggong Township. "Meeting him is more than a transaction. It's about sharing blessings, memories, and human warmth."

Shoppers say they never mind when he promises "this is the last batch" but keeps returning.

"I always buy five or six at a time," laughs Ms. Lee, a longtime customer. "He's been saying he'll retire for years, but I'm happy to be 'fooled.' It means he's still healthy, and we still get his amazing brooms."