Hakka ancestors originally lived in the Central Plains of China. Due to factors including political turmoil and famine, Hakka people migrated south in five major migrations. During the migrations, they adhered to the Central Plains’ culture, such as language traditions and folk customs. Among them is one of Hakka people's unique thousand-year-old customs – "Straw Dragon" – commonly known as "Cloud Fire Dragon." Unfortunately, after Hakka people moved from mainland China overseas, this unique rural folklore activity was gradually forgotten. Later, this Hakka cultural heritage with a history of more than a thousand years was somehow introduced from China to Taiwan some 400 years ago. Since then, this cultural tradition has been passed down from generation to generation in Taiwan’s Hakka communities, getting a robust rebirth by becoming a festival in Sanyi Township, Miaoli County in recent years.

Rice is a traditional staple food of the Hakka people, and the straw from rice stalks is a material that is readily available in the countryside. In the past, when Hakkas had harvested their rice crop in the autumn, they used the straw knots, straw bundles, and bamboo chips to weave into giant straw dragons. Farmers would place the dragons at an important intersection in their village and pray for peace during the festival to honor the Five Grains “Shennong” (Divine Agricultural Deity, 神農) . Because people would put incense sticks all over the straw dragon’s body, when the dragon is hoisted up by the dancers in a dance, its whole body will be filled with golden incense fragrance. When viewed from a distance, it looks as if the dragon god is tossing in the clouds -- that’s how it got the name "Cloud Fire Dragon."

This religious custom also gave birth to Hakka people's unique customs of welcoming the dragon, worshipping the dragon, parading the dragon, dancing with the dragon, sending off the dragon, and burning the dragon. These customs show Hakkas’ diligent and frugal spirit, which has been passed down from one generation to the next. By taking the dragon on a parade, Hakka people are trying to express their best wishes for their local neighborhoods and communities along the parade route, praying that they will be blessed by god and protected from epidemics and evils.

In the past, according to Hakka customs, the Cloud Fire Dragon would go on a tour twice a year, with the “fire dragon” touring on the 12th day of the first lunar month and the “water dragon” going on its excursion during the Dragon Boat Festival in the summer. In recent years, there has been no obvious distinction between the two, and the activities have merged into one annual Hakka festival.

The dragon symbolizes auspiciousness, and fire connotes "red-hot, booming prosperity." The Cloud Fire Dragon carries the meaning of praying for timely and smooth wind and rain that help people to be able to enjoy auspiciousness and prosperity. During the time when the Cloud Fire Dragon makes its tour, it goes around the local neighborhoods and every family will prepare tea, wine, and eggs to share with relatives and friends.

In addition to being a famous "hometown of wood sculpture," Sanyi is also a Hakka settlement with 94% of its residents being Hakka people. It retains the Hakka traditional culture passed down from long time ago, including the Cloud Fire Dragon Festival.  It has become an important tradition of Sanyi that rivals with the traditional Hakka festivals of Hakka communities in other cities and counties in Taiwan. It’s a precious cultural heritage of the Hakka people.