Colourful Content of the Event

Held to drive out epidemics and to pray for peace and safety, the Jiao Festival has been held on Cheung Chau every year without interruption for over a century. This wonderful day of celebration offers the population of the whole island the chance to come together and reinforce their local identity.

The Jiao Festival’s rich traditional features are perpetuated over the years by the active participation of the island residents. From folk arts such as the crafting of paper effigies, floats, bun towers, the making of peaceful buns, Taoist rituals, to performances such as unicorn dance, gong-and-drum music and Taoist music, valuable hands-on experiences are passed from generation to generation. The Jiao Festival of Cheung Chau is therefore a testimony of the island residents’ pride in their cultural identity, and of how everyday life on the island is the component of an intangible cultural heritage.