16th of the 5th Month of the Lunar Calendar

Customs are dynamic, changing with social development. They will embrace prosperity if community members pay much attention to them; otherwise, they will only vanish. Fan Sin’s Birthday is a disappearing festival in Wun Yiu villages of Tai Po. Fan Sin Temple can be found in Wun Yiu only in Hong Kong. Visitors and offerings are scarce during the ordinary days, yet there are still not many worshippers even on 16th of the 5th Lunar Month, Fan Sin’s Birthday.

Fan Sin Temple

Located in Sheung Wun Yiu village, Fan Sin Temple is a two-hall structure. It is said that the Fan Tai Sin venerated in the temple was originally three brothers, namely Fan Yilong, Fan Samlong, and Fan Seilong, who were the founders of the ceramic production. The belief was brought in by Hakka Ma clan from Chang Le County (now Wu Hua County) in Guangdong. They purchased the kiln in Wun Yiu from the Man family and expanded the business with advanced management. The 16th generation ancestor of Ma clan, Ma Choi Yun then returned to their home to invite Fan Sin (only one god) to Wun Yiu in order to bless their workers and pray for a smooth porcelain production.

Center of Porcelain Production

Wun Yiu was a place for blue and white porcelain production since Ming Dynasty, but was abandoned during the Great Clearance period in Qing Dynasty. After the ban was lifted, Ma family took over the kiln and made their blue and white wares celebrated not only within Hong Kong and Guangdong, but also overseas in Southeast Asia. Due to the fierce competition from good quality and inexpensive porcelain produced by other coastal kilns in Guangdong and the shortage of high quality porcelain clay, the kiln stopped operating in 1932. Villagers worked there all changed their professions. No one produce porcelain there ever after.

Ancient Kiln Site    

The kiln gradually disappeared under dirt and grasses. Archeologists designated by Regional Council conducted excavation in 1995 and 1999 respectively. Relics illustrating the complete process of porcelain production were discovered, including china clay quarrying pits, water-mills, animal-driven grinders, clay soaking tanks, preform making workshop, dragon kilns, etc., which was extremely rare in the archeology history in China. Therefore, the remains of Wun Yiu Kiln were declared a monument, yet no restoration has been conducted.

On the morning of the festival date, only some ten villagers came to celebrate Fan Sin’s Birthday with roast pigs, fruits, and steamed birthday buns. Most of them were from Ma clan in Sheung Wun Yiu village and Ha Wun Yiu village. The fund came from offerings in Fan Sin Temple. The new generation showed little interest in faith of Fan Sin, probably because they were no longer related to porcelain production.

The festival will disappear eventually when the later generations give up celebrating Fan Sin’s Birthday, as a large number of people and lots of money are needed for such an event. Only if the all members of the community make a concerted effort can it be held grandly and lively.

The 8th Day of the 5th month of the Lunar Calendar

A number of Tai Wong Yeh Temples can be found in different parts of Hong Kong, but each Tai Wong Yeh has different background and different dates of birth. Among them, the festival at Tai Po was the most exciting one, which lased for 10 days, including activities of god reception, parade, dancing events, martial arts performances, live Chinese operas and dramas performance for ghosts, votive flower cannon (paper floral tribute) event, and flower cannon drawing. Most participants were Hoklo (from Hailufeng district) fishermen and their descendants, therefore, the whole celebration was of a Hoklo style.

Hoklo Culture    

All five organizing families were Hoklo clans. They organized several Flower Cannon Associations, and the votive Flower Cannon event is on 8th of the 5th Lunar Month (for few times held a day before or after). Setting off from a village nearby, they pushed the huge Flower Cannons with large amount of sacrifices (including live pigs, roast pigs, fruits, gingers, red eggs and steamed buns of safety) in an array all the way to Feng Shui Square for Tai Wong Yeh’s Birthday celebration. Some women showed their respect to gods by dressing themselves in traditional Hoklo costumes; wearing their hair in a bun with gold and silver ornaments or wide brim flora hats.

Women from some Flower Cannon Associations performed Dragon Boat Dance in groups. A leading woman stroke a gong in the front and the others divided in 2 rows, with paddles in hands, dancing in uniformed gestures and steps. Some groups cover the performers with decorations of dragon head and body, as if “rowing on land”; some made a special alteration to change the paddles into feather fans in hands. They performed so lively and happily that infect the whole audience.    

Sacrifice and Moon Blocks Practice

Flower Cannon Associations presented their sacrifices in front of the gods. After worship, the key member kneeled down for moon blocks practice to inquire whether the gods are content. A Shengjiao (divine answer) indicated a smooth and harvestable new year; yet a Xiaojiao or Nujiao (laughing answer or crying answer) means the gods have not yet been satisfied, which may due to lack of sacrifices or absences of participants. In this case, the leader would practice moon blocks again after explaining and apologizing to the gods. The crowd could only leave in content after a Shengjiao (divine answer) is shown.

Martial Arts Groups Gathering

Some martial arts groups were appointed to worship Tai Wong Yeh on Sunday during the Festival. Starting from Tai Yuen Estate, they performed lion dance and dragon dance all the way, some even played Hoklo-special golden lion, kylin and other auspicious animals like elephant and Hakka box lion. Upon arriving at the gods’ shrine, they provided grand performances for the gods and the public, which brought the festival to another climax.

The origin of Water Parade

According to the village elders, the history of Water Parade in Tai O has lasted for a century. It is said that in the early years a plague ravaged Tai O and caused many deaths. In order to drive away the epidemic and blessed the residence with peace and safety, the local people invited the deities from four local temples and settled them on sacred boat, which was dragged by a Dragon Boat and paraded along the waterways and gave offerings all the way through it.

Fishermen’s Associations

Three fishermen’s organizations, namely the Pa Teng Hong, Yu Yip Hong and Hap Sam Tong, co-organized this activity; they represented the residents from both sea and land. Nowadays many residents of the younger generation have moved to the urban areas to make a living, leading to a recession in the fishing industry. Nevertheless, most of them still come back for the Dragon Boat Festival on the public holiday every year and some even take part in the event to inherit this tradition.

Offering Sacrifice to the Roaming Spirits

After inviting the God in the morning of the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the three fishermen’s associations set out for the Water Parade together. According to the tradition, Pa Teng Hong, which had the longest history, led the parade, followed by Yu Yip Hong and Hap Sam Tong. They started from Yeung Hau Temple, took a turn to the Tin Hau Temple and sailed back to Kwan Tai Temple. People sitting in the stern of the sacred boat kept burning joss paper and sprinkling soaked rice as offerings to the spirits wandering in the water. When the sacred boats passed by, residents of the stilt houses also burnt paper gold ingots hoping to dissolve the disasters.

Taboos of Water Parade    

Tai O has a variety of waterways that crisscross one another, but the tributaries have become increasingly narrow. Nowadays the Water Parade is held only in the wide waterways as the residents do not like their huts being hit by the sacred boats and dragon boats. This has shortened the schedule of the whole parade. When the sacred boats came to the Tai Chung Bridge and Sun Ki Bridge, the staff members on the bridge showed their respect by lifting up the bridge to allow passage for the boats. It was the tradition that the god's head should never be pressed or placed beneath people’s feet.