Photo taken on May 15, 2024 shows a view of the "piu sik" parade held in Cheung Chau, a small island south of Hong Kong island, in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)
The Bun Festival, one of Hong Kong's most colorful cultural celebration events, has been on China's national list of intangible cultural heritage since 2011. For residents of Cheung Chau, this is an important annual event.
HONG KONG, May 16 (Xinhua) -- On Wednesday, Cheung Chau, a small island south of Hong Kong island, was chock-a-block with people celebrating the Bun Festival, an annual traditional cultural event in the city.
At 1:30 p.m. local time, the "piu sik" parade, one of the highlights of the Bun Festival, with children dressing up as deities and celebs on stilts, set off from Cheung Chau's Pak Tai Temple.
Accompanied by the sound of gongs and drums, the young actors waved and handed out sweets to the crowd, attracting many to take pictures.
The Bun Festival, one of Hong Kong's most colorful cultural celebration events, has been on China's national list of intangible cultural heritage since 2011. For residents of Cheung Chau, this is an important annual event.
"My father used to take part in the parade and I played a role in it when I was a kid," said Hong Kong resident who identified himself only as Cheung, who now lived on Hong Kong Island.
This year, Cheung took his wife and children to watch the parade, hoping that they could experience the charm of the traditional culture.
Vendors sell lucky buns, a festival icon of Bun Festival, at a shop in Cheung Chau, a small island south of Hong Kong island, in Hong Kong, south China, on May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)
Watching "piu sik" parade, bun scrambling competition, and tasting the festival's signature buns ... a string of exciting activities took place during the festival, attracting a large number of people to Cheung Chau and bringing business opportunities to the small island.
According to Sun Ferry, which operated the route between Hong Kong Island and Cheung Chau, as of 5 p.m. local time, the number of passengers increased by 12.5 percent compared with the same period last year.
"I hope Hong Kong can organize more activities to promote traditional culture," said Hong Kong resident Ms Ho who watched the parade every year.
Another Hong Kong resident who preferred to be named as Kwok, who is also an owner of a bakery selling buns symbolizing peace and well-being, started bun making workshops last September to promote the Bun Festival and has attracted around 20,000 people to join.
Kwok said that there were more visitors to Cheung Chau than expected this year. His shop opened at about 6 a.m. local time and all buns were sold out within two hours.
This year's Bun Festival started on May 12 and will last until May 16. ■
