Hong Kong celebrates four festivals
A city that never sleeps, Hong Kong is bursting with an energy that never fails to exhilarate visitors. This month, celebrate Hong Kong’s ancient roots as you follow the joyous rhythms of rousing gongs and soak up the energy, tradition and passion as colorful parades and festivities celebrate ancient traditions of Asia’s World City.
Witness how locals flock by the thousands across Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of Tin Hau as they pray to the Goddess of the Sea for safety, fine weather and full fishing nets for the coming year. One of the highlights of the Tin Hau festivities is the threehour Shap Pat Heung (18 Villages) fa pau parade in Yuen Long last May 8. The procession will feature the Hong Kong Police Band, about 30 fa pau groups, lion dancers, dance groups and marching bands.
If the Filipinos up north have the Panagbenga Festival, locals in Hong Kong celebrate Cheung Chau Bun Festival from May 13 to 23. Learn about their exciting history through the festival’s papiermache effigies and lion dancers which tell the tale of when a plague devastated Cheung Chau more than a century ago and villagers paraded through the island’s narrow streets disguised as deities to drive away evil spirits.
Also called the Buddhabathing Festival, festivities for the deity’s birthday will be held until May 22. Buddha’s birthday is one of the most spiritual and unique festivals in Hong Kong. At Buddhist temples across the city, devotees gather to pay their respects by bathing Buddha statues in water, a ritual believed to help to purify the soul.
Head over to Shau Kei Wan and celebrate the birthday of Tam Kung, a man believed to have learned the secret to remaining forever young. On May 22, devotees will cel- ebrate Tam Kung’s birthday in the oldest temple dedicated to him. Catch ceremonies including traditional dragon and lion dances and a colorful street parade.
Akin to the many provincial fiestas Filipinos celebrate all over the country, Hong Kong’s traditional celebrations are also bursting with culture, lively colors, vibrant sounds and mind-blowing visuals that will leave visitors wonderstruck.
A city that celebrates not just the vibrancy of modern times, but artfully and sacredly commemorates its ancient roots, these traditional celebrations will let tourists experience and discover the very soul of Hong Kong like a local.