Today, Hong Kong is on holiday?!
Yes, because!
First of all, let's popularize science for friends who are not in the situation:
"Every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month is the day to commemorate the birth of the Buddha Shakyamuni, since the return of Hong Kong."
Source: New Holidays
It's a fantastic holiday, and everyone can get into the traditional atmosphere with or without faith.
If you happen to be there today, it is highly recommended to experience "Taiping Jiao"!
You can experience a Hong Kong that is completely different from what you remembered!
The Cheung Chau Jiao Festival is held annually during the Buddha's Birthday and lasts for four days. Residents on the island call the Taiping Jiao Festival "Jiao beating", and the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival is one of the two more eye-catching activities, the other being the floating color parade.
01
"Grab the bun"
Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, a plague broke out in Cheung Chau that killed many residents, and the residents made peace packs to worship the gods and sacrifice the souls of the dead.
Source: Internet
"Grab the bun mountain" is mainly the local residents of Cheung Chau steamed buns with flour and built a "bun mountain" in front of the Pak Tai Temple for the gods.
It is believed that the more "peace bags" you grab, the more blessings you will have, and the more good luck you will have throughout the year.
However, the crowd often competed with each other, leading to the collapse of Baoshan in 1978.
In 1978, 300 people, as before, climbed the mountain from all directions to grab the bag, but the bamboo shed suddenly collapsed, and many people were injured. ”
Source: Sing Tao Headlines
After 26 years of hiding, until 2003, when SARS hit Hong Kong hard, the Hong Kong government approved the resumption of the operation, so in 2005, the lively scene of the bun grabbing reappeared in Cheung Chau!
However, there have been many changes to the resumption of the "Bao Shan", such as the construction of a steel frame as the internal support of the Bao Shan, instead of the traditional bamboo shed, and the use of plastic "simulation bags" instead of real bags, to avoid the situation that the buns will become moldy and smelly due to rain again, and it means that there are no accidents and peace and security.
Although the form has changed, but.
During the final round of the bun rush competition, there will be four areas in the Cheung Chau Pak Tai Temple Playground Football Pitch for the public to watch the event.
The rally will be distributed from 10 p.m. today, and members of the public can queue up along Bingchang Road at Beishe 1 Mile, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Source: Yahoo News
The opening ceremony of the conference was held at 11:30 on the evening of May 15, and the final of the bun grabbing was officially launched at 0:00 a.m. on May 16 according to traditional customs.
The pace of the competition is bright, the players are agile and energetic, and the cheers of the spectators bring the fiery atmosphere of "bun grabbing" to every corner of the island, allowing you to feel the excitement of the game.
In addition, before watching and grabbing buns, after all, this is a classic famous item that can only be found in Cheung Chau in Hong Kong.
In fact, if you want to say how delicious it is, it is not, it is more like completing a sense of ritual to follow the local customs, and it is also a good intention to ask for peace.
Source: Hong Kong Tourism Board
In addition to the traditional flavors, there are also different creative flavors and versions of Ping An Bao waiting for you!
02
Floating color parade
It is recommended that you can arrive at Cheung Chau early in the afternoon to participate in the "Floating Colour Parade".
To put it simply, more than 10 teams from neighbourhoods and organisations parade along the main streets of the city centre for spectators on both sides to enjoy.
Source: Ming Pao
In this performance program, a child no taller than 42 inches (106.6 cm) and weighing less than 35 pounds (15.9 kg) is supported by a stand.
In addition to acting, it will also play the role of modern figures such as news and politicians, which is unique to Cheung Chau Parade.
Because the children need to parade on the stand for a long time, the children participating in the floating color performance are wrapped in diapers.
Watching the innocent and cute children dressed up as ancient and modern figures and mythological characters, standing on the stand "" parade, waving to passers-by, the audience took pictures one after another.
Source: Bauhinia
The event will be held on Cheung Chau Street, when the street is crowded, interested friends should occupy a good position as soon as possible!
In fact, floating color is essentially a ritual of wandering the gods, and the delicate and beautiful effect presented.
Most of the funds for the event are raised by the participating units from the neighborhood and merchants, and in order to refresh the audience every year, the floating color props are often made from scratch.
However, in recent years, faced with the situation of the lack of color technology, the color masters have retired one by one.
Source: Sing Tao Headlines
Finally, they have all come to Cheung Chau, and the editor suggests that you can experience it:!
You read that right, going to Cheung Chau Taiping Jiao to eat McDonald's is also a feature!
03
McDonald's
Fasting is a tradition of Jiao Festival in Cheung Chau, and every year two days before the Buddha's Birthday, the islanders will start to go vegetarian, and most local restaurants and restaurants will not serve meat dishes.
The "ban on meat consumption" will not be allowed to eat meat until all ceremonies on the Buddha's birthday are over, that is, after the parade is over.
McDonald's, every year during the Taiping Jiao Festival, is also a local custom, will,.
Source: HK01
This limited-time vegetarian bun is actually a piece of stuffing made with mushrooms, carrots, corn, and other vegetables, and even the salad dressing is egg-free!
Therefore, from May 12th to May 15th, if tourists want to leave an unforgettable memory in Hong Kong, in addition to checking in to "McDonald's Road without McDonald's", it is also a good choice to go to McDonald's Cheung Chau to buy one!
In addition to feasting on blessings, you can also be full of peace!
Source: McDonald's Hong Kong
Transportation tips
This year, the HKTB will organise a drone show in Wan Chai to promote Jiao Tai and Bao Shan, which is expected to attract visitors to Cheung Chau!
If you want to go to Cheung Chau, unless you charter a yacht for a full day cruise.
Go to Cheung Chau
Ferries depart from Central and take about 35 to 40 minutes by high-speed ferry, compared to an hour by regular ferry.
All ferries dock at the pier on the west side of the Central Isthmus in Cheung Chau, which also serves as a typhoon shelter, so a large number of other vessels are moored nearby.
The ferry service from Central to Cheung Chau is departing.
Source: Hong Kong Ferry Ceremony
In order to ensure a smooth participation in the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, take a boat to Cheung Chau to avoid the crowds.
Depart Cheung Chau
After the "Bun Grabbing" competition, Sun Ferry will operate an additional flight from Cheung Chau to Central at 1:15am on 16 May (Thursday).