Hong Kong's annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival draws flocks of visitors

Xinhua
26 May 2023, 23:44 GMT+10

HONG KONG, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The annual Bun Festival in Cheung Chau, a small island south of Hong Kong, on Friday attracted a large number of visitors to watch the "piu sik" parade with children dressed up as deities paraded on stilts.

The Bun Festival, one of Hong Kong's most colorful cultural celebration events, has been on China's national list of intangible cultural heritage since 2011.

The parade, suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was one of the festival's highlights. Other activities included lion dances, opera performances and a bun scrambling competition.

It is said that the festival originated from the tradition of islanders dressing up as gods and going out to drive away ghosts and spirits. Over time, this practice has evolved into children dressing up as gods or ancient and modern figures, standing on a bracket about two meters high and parading along the street.

The arrival of tourists has brought business opportunities to shops in Cheung Chau, especially those selling lucky bun, a festival icon. Long queues were seen outside some famous shops since they opened in the morning.

"Many tourists asked me for directions today, and I feel that tourism in Hong Kong is recovering," Mr. Wang, a resident of Cheung Chau Island, said.

This year's Bun Festival started on May 23 and will last until May 27.

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