Local Festivals Around the Year
\ \ \ AA BB
Recently Visited

Peng Chau Tin Hau Parade

  • The 21st day of the 7th month of the Lunar Calendar

    Peng Chau, though only a small outlying island with average population, has managed to retain quite a number of Chinese traditions and customs, most of which fall in the 7th lunar month. The most popular event would be the parade of Tin Hau on the 21st day of the 7th lunar month, which the locals called the “Tin Hau Parade”. It was the biggest festival on Peng Chau when people prayed for dissolving calamities and blessing of safety. The Parade route covered all the major communities over the island, attracting a large number of villagers to participate, even for those who had already moved out.

  • Customs and Legends

    There were two versions of the Parade’s origin. One suggested that in an outbreak of an epidemic the early days had claimed many lives. The villagers were helpless and desperate until they escorted Tin Hau to the parade, which finally stopped the epidemic. So the custom had been handed down to today. Another story goes that Peng Chau once suffered from flooding because of typhoons and storms; villagers invited Tin Hau sincerely for a parade on the 21st day of the seventh lunar month. Since then the Tin Hau Parade was pracitsed on the same day every year. As the seventh lunar month was also the time of Yu Lan Ghost Festival, people also presented offerings to spirits and blessed for favourable weather to crops and safety of the whole family.

  • The Parade

    The Parade was organized by the Tin Hau Temple Festival Committee of Peng Chau. Usually a statue of the Taishi (King of Ghosts) would be placed in front of Tin Hau Temaple to deter the restless spirits from roaming the earth and causing chaos. The Chanting Monks informed all the deities by reciting a list of villagers’ names before the Parade started. The Parade usually started at noon or sometime later, which was determined by tossing Jiaobei blocks in the morning on that day.

    When it was time to start, the Committee members invited the statue of Tin Hau from the Tin Hau Temple and placed it in the portable shrine神輿. People letted off firecrackers as the parade set off with 12 men carrying the shrine and some other relay men following along. Three Chanting Monks lead the procession and two flower girls escorted it, while quite a few people held high flags, brocade canopies, swords and spears, incense burners, placards of “silence” and “respect”. It was just like an inspection tour of an empress in the ancient times. Thousands of people following the parade included a dozen of local associations, martial arts groups and theatrical troupes. With the auspicious animals marching at the end of the parade, the scene was more than joyful and bustling.

  • The Parade made its way along the Wing On Street where many stores were located. Taking Sing Ka Road, the procession then headed towards Tung Wan via the halfway path up the Finger Hill. villagers paid homage to the Tin Hau when the shrine passed by. The troupe took a rest when they arrived the playground of Peng Chau Chi Yan Public School. Villagers could take this chance to offer incense to Tin Hau while the theatrical troupes and auspicious animals would perform to entertain the deities and villagers. Afterwards, the Parade carried on towards Peng Lei Road by following Wing On Street. As Peng Lei Road was broad and smooth, two small flower floats花車 could join the procession, adding the carnival atmosphere to this traditional festival.

  • Sprint on the Return Route

    Upon passing the bridge on Tai Lei Island, the Parade started to turn back. When people returned to the forthright in front of the Tin Hau Temple, various groups sprint back to the temple in order to pay homage to Tin Hau as the residents thought this could bring them good luck. The Parade came to an end as martial arts groups and the little girls on the flower floats arrivd the temple to give brief performances to both deities and people.

    The Parade of Tin Hau was not crowded with people as the Piu Sik Parade (literally: floating parade) in Cheng Chau Bun Festival, making it easier for visitors to watch or even join the Parade if they wish to experience this local custom. As Tin Hau was highly regarded by all the villagers of Peng Chau, this unique Parade always attracted and united all the bodies on the island, showing fully the local character of Peng Chau.

  • Yu Lan Ghosts Festival

    When the Parade was over, people held Little Ghosts Rituals 祭小幽 in the evening to expiate the sins of the spirits and rid villagers of misfortune. In the afternoon of the following day, i.e. the 22nd day of the 7th lunar month, villagers moved the statue of Taishi to a vacant area near the pier. During the night, the Big Ghosts Rituals祭大幽 was held where 26 seats for the spirits were placed on the ground and each seat was prepared with fruits and snacks. Once the statue of Taishi was cremated in the late night, villagers dashed for the offerings on the ground as they believed consuming them could bring them peace.

  •