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HK people flock to Cheung Chau for annual Bun Festival

Xinhua, May 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

Thousands of people flocked to Cheung Chau as Cheung Chau Bun Festival, one of Hong Kong's most colorful cultural celebration event, staged Monday which will last till midnight Tuesday morning.

The festival has more than 100 years of history. Every year, thousands of people descend upon the tiny island for the Piu Sik Parade, Lucky Bun and the Bun Scrambling Competition, the ancient custom during the festival.

"I'm looking forward to the afternoon parade of colorful floats, and would stay until midnight to watch the bun scrambling contest, " a woman surnamed Wong said.

The festival started with a plague that devastated Cheung Chau in the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The islanders built an altar in front of the Pak Tai Temple and petitioned the god Pak Tai to drive off the evil spirits besieging the island, while parading statues of deities through the narrow lanes of their village.

The plague ended after the performance of these Taoist rituals and the festival is listed as an intangible part of China's cultural heritage. Endi