The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is one of Hong Kong’s major cultural events and this year takes place between 18th and 22nd May. The festival, also known as the Jiao Festival, is one of four cultural events recently submitted by the Hong Kong Government to the People’s Republic of China Ministry of Culture as candidates for national heritage status. The festival, which is organised by the Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and supported by Hong Kong Tourism Board, is held in honour of Pak Tai, the Daoist deity and god of the north and is intended to purify the community and pacify the spirits of islanders who died in the plague of 1894. The plague was finally wiped out after Pak Tai’s image had been paraded through the streets of the island. The festival is also one of Hong Kong Tourism Board's FESTIVE HONG KONG 2010 events.
"Floating" children are a highlight of the spectacular Piu Sik Parade
Until 1964 the festival was celebrated at Tung Wan (East Bay) Beach but since 1965 the focal point has been the Pak Tai Temple, one of Hong Kong’s oldest temples, built in 1783. The event has become a major attraction for thousands of visitors from Hong Kong and overseas and last year 60,000 visitors were estimated to have joined the island’s 30,000 population during the festival. A makeshift theatre is erected opposite the temple for Chinese opera performances and other events throughout the festival include lion and dragon dances, martial arts performances and variety shows. Tradition dictates that for three days of the festival only vegetarian food is eaten with meat and seafood only becoming available after all the buns have been removed from the tower. However whilst visitors will find that restaurants take meat off the menu and McDonalds offers veggie burgers, the vegetarian tradition is nowadays mainly observed by indigenous islanders with many shops and food vendors cashing in on the tourist market.
The main events are the Piu Sik (Floating Colours) Parade and the Bun Scrambling Competition which traditionally take place on the 21st May (8th day of the fourth moon in the lunar calendar) which is also the Buddha’s Birthday and a public holiday in Hong Kong. The colourful street parade from 2pm to 4pm attracts huge crowds and features “floating” children, each representing a historical figure, and who are carried shoulder high, appearing to be unsupported in mid-air. The parade is accompanied by decorated floats, musicians, flag-bearers, gongs. At the front of the procession red sedan chairs carry deities from all the temples on Cheung Chau, led by Pak Tai.
Colourful characters in a previous year's parade passing along the harbourside San Hing Praya Street
On the stroke of midnight the twelve participants (nine male and three female) for the Bun Scrambling Competition race up the 14-metre tall conical bun tower to grab as many buns as they can collect within the three minute time limit. Until 1978 the Bun Scrambling Competition had been a “free for all” but during that year’s competition one of the three bamboo towers collapsed resulting in injuries to over 100 people and the competition was suspended for 27 years and the buns handed out instead. In 2005 the competition was reintroduced but under strict safety conditions. The three bamboo towers have been replaced by a single steel tower and the number of climbers is limited to twelve who undergo training from Hong Kong Mountaineering Union and who are selected from about 150 original entrants
The real buns on the tower have been replaced by 8,000 plastic replica “buns” for reasons of hygiene. Redemption coupons are issued to spectators and these can be used to claim one of the replica buns as a souvenir with the remaining “buns” being cleaned and saved to be re-used the following year. The following day about 20,000 real buns made by local bakeries, each stamped in red with the Chinese character for peace, are handed out. The Bun Scrambling Competition is the culmination of the Bun Carnival which takes place on dates from 8th May. Prior to the individual final of the competition there are relay bun scrambling races;
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/specials/bun2010/en/index.php
Admission to the Bun Scrambling Competition is by ticket only. The venue has a capacity of 1,500 and free tickets are distributed from 10pm from Pak She First Street, next to Cheung Chau Fire Station, close to the Pak Tai Soccer Pitch where the competition takes place. Admission starts at 10-30pm and the opening ceremony of the Bun Scrambling Competition is at 11-30pm.
THE WINNERS OF THE 2010 BUN SCRAMBLING COMPETITION
After an exciting competition, the championship of the men's team went to Mr Kwok Ka-ming who scored 939 marks. The first runner-up, Mr Ho Sin-fai, scored 836 marks. The second runner-up was Mr Chung Yuk-chuen who scored 788 marks. The winner of the women's team introduced in this year's competition was Ms Wong Ka-yan who got 603 marks.
Divided into three zones, the bun tower was studded with buns from top to bottom, with each bun carrying nine, three and one marks respectively in each zone. The bottom of the buns had special colour stamps for identification. The contestant who scored the highest marks from all the buns grabbed was the champion. Results of the men's team and the women's team were ranked separately.
Teams from Macau, Guangzhou and Shenzhen competed in the invitation relay against teams from Cheung Chau. Two members of each team had to get specified buns on the bun tower in relay in the shortest time. The Petrel Athletic Association won the championship in 2 minutes and 6.52 seconds while Wing Kai Far Pau Association Ltd was the first runner-up in a time of 2 minutes and 7.98 seconds. The second runner-up, Spirit Sports Association, took 2 minutes and 44.29 seconds to finish the race.
GETTING THERE
Cheung Chau is served by the First Ferry service from Central Pier 5 on Hong Kong Island and also by the First Ferry Inter-Island ferry service which connects Cheung Chau with Chi Ma Wan and Mui Wo on Lantau Island and Peng Chau.
TIMETABLES AND FARES;
CENTRAL TO CHEUNG CHAU
http://www.nwff.com.hk/eng/fare_table/central-cheung_chau/
Visitors intending to take the “Fast Ferry” service should arrive at the pier well before departure time. Passengers are counted on board and standing is not allowed. The “Fast Ferry” may leave before scheduled departure time if full. Demand is likely to be high on 21st May.
An additional “Ordinary Ferry” service will operate from Cheung Chau to Central at 1-15am on 22nd May.
From about 1am to 2-30am a special cross-harbour bus service 104R will operate from Central Pier 5 to Mongkok and night bus services N8X (to Siu Sai Wan), N90 (to South Horizons), N182 (to Sha Tin) and N619 (to Shun Lee, Kwun Tong) will be diverted to call at Central Pier 5.
INTER-ISLAND SERVICE
http://www.nwff.com.hk/eng/fare_table/island_hopping/
For more information on Outlying Island Ferry Services see FERRIES-OUTLYING ISLANDS
ACCOMMODATION ON CHEUNG CHAU
Accommodation on Cheung Chau during the Bun Festival is likely to be difficult to find unless booked well in advance. Cheung Chau has one hotel, the 66-room three-star WARWICK HOTEL on Tung Wan Beach;
http://www.warwickhotel.com.hk/en_index.htm
Warwick Hotel overlooks Tung Wan (East Bay)
B&B CHEUNG CHAU is an excellent and popular 16-room modern guest house located just two minutes walk from the ferry pier and one minute from Tung Wan Beach;
http://www.bbcheungchau.com.hk/
Since opening in 2006 B&B Cheung Chau has become a popular choice for visitors looking for accommodation on the island
SEAVIEW HOLIDAY FLATS have 10 flats in various locations. This is mainly basic budget accommodation although one de-luxe flat is available;
http://hkseaview.tripod.com/
PRAYA STREET ACCOMMODATION BOOTHS. Located outside the ferry pier entrance are several kiosks which are usually manned from mid-morning and often until about midnight. These are operated by various owners including Seaview Holiday Flats (see above) offering flats ands room with budget accommodation. Visitors can view photographs of the accommodation in display albums at the stands.
TOURS
Gray Line Tours of Hong Kong Limited operate a Bun Festival Tour on Friday 21st May with various pick-up points on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. The tour includes private boat to Cheung Chau, vegetarian meal and admission tickets to the official grandstand for the afternoon parade. Details;
http://www.grayline.com.hk/415BUN.html