Hong Kong was pounded by torrential rain for much of the long weekend (and beyond), but the gods were merciful enough to clear the skies and let the sun shine for most of the day during the end of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival – although the famous bun scramble was unfortunately cancelled.
This Taoist celebration on Cheung Chau Island coincides with the birthday of Buddha, which is held on the eighth day of the fourth month on the lunar calendar.
The event began as a ritual to protect the island from pirates and diseases, but in recent times it has become a cultural celebration of the year past.
The famous bun tower for the scramble sits in the middle of Pak Tai Temple playground. The bun scramble was cancelled last night as rain showed up to the disappointment of visitors. Organisers dropped the event after deciding that it would be too dangerous as another thunderstorm warning was issued.
A bakery worker walks with a tray of freshly made “lucky” white buns. The signature buns with printed red Chinese characters for “peace” are believed by villagers to appease the hungry ghosts of pirates.
Cheung Chau bakers prepare a new batch of buns filled with red bean. The strictly vegetarian theme of the festival ensures the primary flavours are red bean, sesame, and lotus seed.
A member of the public lights incense sticks at the Pak Tai Temple. During the bun festival the temple is overrun as people pray to Pak Tai, a Chinese deity of the ocean, to keep them safe.
Visitors walk past the three bun towers. Hot and humid weather is no condition to store non-durable goods such as food outdoors. Many visitors complained about the rotten odour emitted by the rain-soaked, sun-dried buns.
Lion heads guard the preparation room. The Piu Sik parade is the focus of the festival in the afternoon, with lion dances, street performances and a marching band headlining the parade.
Lion dancers rest in an air-conditioned room. Though thunderstorm warnings were raised, the sunny weather meant that temperatures reached the low 30s on Monday, prompting organisers to hand out paper fans.
A man dressed in a priest robe readies himself to lead a group, as helpers fan him intently.
A lion dance performer takes part in the parade, which lasted for about an hour, to the delight of visitors that have stationed themselves along the route.
A member of the marching band plays the tuba. Aside from the usual Chinese traditional performances, the Cheung Chau festival also featured this “Western”-influenced musical troupe.
A small child dressed in the outfit of a hero takes part in the bun festival float parade. The children are suspended from a steel frame as they are paraded throughout the street, as if effortlessly levitating.
Photographs by Kevin Dharmawan for Coconuts Hong Kong
