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3mo ago

Cheung Chau Bun Festival Culminates with Midnight Bun-Scrambling Contest

Hong Kong's vibrant five-day celebration blends centuries-old Taoist traditions with modern cultural elements, drawing thousands of visitors to the island.

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A child participates in the "Piu Sik" parade on the island of Cheung Chau during its annual Bun festival in Hong Kong
Thousands of visitors pour on to a small island in Hong Kong for its annual Bun Festival
Tourists from Communist Party-ruled mainland China visited Hong Kong to experience traditional Chinese culture not often seen back home

Overview

  • The annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival, rooted in 19th-century Taoist customs, celebrates peace and safety through symbolic rituals and offerings.
  • Monday's Piu Sik parade featured children dressed as figures like Olympic champion Cheung Ka Long and mythological heroes, carried above the crowds in colorful displays.
  • The festival's climax, the midnight bun-scrambling competition, sees participants race up a 14-meter tower to collect buns, with the highest-value buns located at the top.
  • Suspended for decades after a 1978 tower collapse, the bun-scrambling contest was reinstated in 2005 with enhanced safety measures.
  • The event attracts local families, mainland Chinese tourists, and international visitors, offering a unique fusion of Cantonese heritage and modern spectacle.