One of the biggest beauties of Asian countries is the many local festivals celebrated here! One such festival is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival in Hong Kong. This annual Chinese festival is celebrated on the tiny Cheung Chau Island and is quite popular for its quirky traditions and celebrations. So, as the island celebrates this boisterous festival, we’re here to tell you a bit more about it! Scroll on and know everything about the Bun Festival of Hong Kong.
Significance of Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is an annual, local festival in Hong Kong that draws many tourists. Cheung Chau Bun Festival marks the end of spring on the island. The festival is on China’s national list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Due to the many traditions and competitions in the festival, TIME magazine declared it as one of the world’s top 10 quirky local festivals.
According to the legend, in the 18th century, the island was hit by a plague and infiltrated by pirates. To drive both these evils away, the local fishermen paraded images of their patron Deity, Pak Tai, around the island. Some people on the island also dressed up as other deities to drive away the evil. And this is how today’s five-day Bun Festival came into being.
It is now celebrated with massive parades, kids dressing up in colourful costumes, and many fun competitions and programmes. The biggest attraction of this festival is the ‘Piu Sik’ or floating colours parade. Earlier, the parade featured massive statues of deities that are now replaced with kids dressed in costumes and portraying them. They participate in the parade on stilts. Besides that, there are lion dances, Taoist festivals, the Bun Scrambling Competition, and the Climbing Carnival. According to reports, everything displayed in the festival – from the buns to the costumes – is prepared by the local community here.
Cheung Chau Island Attracts Many Tourists During This Annual Festival
The beautiful Bun Festival attracts thousands of tourists to Cheung Chau Island. People take ferries to the island to participate in this boisterous festival. One of the biggest draws for the festival goers is the island’s popular sweet buns! Tourists stand in queue to try out these buns that have “peace and safety” stamped on them in Chinese characters. This year’s festival will conclude on May 16.
It is so heartening to see local communities celebrating their festivals in full gusto! Add this festival to your bucket list because the vivid beauty of this island and the cultural significance of this festival is definitely worth seeing in person!
Cover Image Courtesy: Hong Kong Tourism Board
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