At 98 years old, “Broom Grandpa” Chang Shui (張水) can still be seen strolling the streets of Taitung County, a bundle of handmade brooms slung over his shoulder as he calls out to passersby in his signature sing-song tone.
For more than six decades, his strong hands have bound mountain grass and rattan into durable brooms — tools that sweep away not only dust, but also carry with them the warmth of human connection and a living piece of Taiwanese folk culture.
Once a familiar figure across Taiwan, Chang, affectionately known as “Old Chang the Broom Seller,” now mostly remains in the eastern county.
Photo: Liu Jen-wei, Taipei Times
Locals eagerly track his movements on social media, rushing to buy his brooms before they sell out. Despite often declaring that each time would be his last, Chang always returns to the streets to sell his wares.
His signature brooms, tied with tiger grass and rattan strips, require exceptional wrist strength to bind tightly.
“If the knot isn’t firm, 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 more than a hundred.”
Chang’s creations serve more than household needs.
During Taitung’s famed Bombing of Master Handan (炸寒單) festival, his brooms are swept between “heaven and earth” during firecracker barrages, earning the name tiandi sao (天地掃, heaven-and-earth brooms in Chinese).
Believers say the brooms, once blessed in the fiery ritual, carry protective powers against evil. Smaller versions, known as “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 (成功). “Meeting him is more than a transaction. It is about sharing blessings, memories and human warmth.”
Shoppers say they never mind when he insists, “This is the last batch,” only to reappear again.
“I always buy five or six at a time,” said Ms Lee, a longtime customer. “He’s been talking about retiring for years, but I’m glad to be ‘fooled.’ It means he’s still healthy, and we still get his wonderful brooms.”
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