Evolution and Development

The basin feast as a dining custom among the clans in the New Territories has a history of several hundred years. It has enjoyed enduring popularity since it can be prepared on a mass scale, is easy to serve and therefore suitable for large numbers of clansmen for large gatherings. That is why, for traditional festivals and celebrations, birthdays of deities and ancestral worship, a basin feast would still be a highly popular choice with people sharing food from the big basins as they sit round a table. Such an ambience not only helps to strengthen the bond among clan members, but also serves the social function of acknowledging clan membership. Even today, basin feasts have remained a unique dining culture in the villages of the New Territories.

After the Handover in 1997, the Hong Kong people developed a strong attachment to their “home culture”. One-day tours around Hong Kong grew popular, with eating “pun choi” being inevitably a must-have on the itinerary. Large-scale basin feasts have also been organised to promote local traditional culinary culture, which has deepened urbanites’ knowledge of the basin feast custom. In recent years, basin food has been gaining popularity in the city: teahouses, restaurants, eateries, and fast food chains would advertise various vegetarian, seafood and numerous other varieties of basin food to attract customers for consumption during festivals. “Pun choii” has transformed from being a traditional food in the walled villages into a typical Hong Kong festival food, and is now quite removed from its origin as a dining custom among the clans of traditional villages.