MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1979
5
CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL STARTS TONIGHT *.* ****
THE ANNUAL CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL, COMMONLY KNOWN AS +TA CHIU, + BEGINS TONIGHT (MONDAY) AND WILL LAST SIX DAYS.
A GRAND PROCESSION OF LOCAL TRADITIONAL ITEMS BLENDED WITH MODERN PERFORMANCES BY OUTSIDE GROUPS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, STARTING AT 2.30 P.M.
DESPITE THE CANCELLATION OF THE TRADITIONAL SCRAMBLE FOR BUNS THIS YEAR, A STEP TAKEN IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE FESTIVAL WILL NOT DIMINISH IN COLOUR AND MAGNITUDE, ACCORDING TO THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. VICTOR YUNG.
THE 15,000 BUNS AFFIXED TO TWO 15.24-METRE (50 FT) AND A 7.62 METRE (25 FT) BAMBOO TOWERS WILL BE UNTIED BY THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON THURSDAY FOR DISTRIBUTION TO LOCAL RESIDENTS THE NEXT DAY.
+THIS WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYONE WILL GET HIS SHARE OF THE BUNS WHICH, ACCORDING TO LEGEND, WILL BRING THEM GOOD LUCK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR,+ MR. YUNG SAID.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS- JONES, WILL JOIN 20,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT THE SMALL ISLAND TO WATCH THE SPECTACULAR PAGEANT ON THURSDAY.
MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE FROM 20 LOCAL ORGANISATIONS, SCHOOLS AND SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS WILL TAKE PART IN THE TWO-HOUR PROCESSION.
ON PARADE WILL BE SHRINES FROM THE ISLAND'S TEMPLES, THE TREASURE SWORD OF PAK TI TEMPLE, FLOATS, UNICORN AND LION DANCES, FAMOUS CHIU CHAU GONGS AND DRUMS PERFORMANCES AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC AND DANCES.
STUDENTS FROM THE BUDDHIST TAI KWONG MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ARTISTES FROM TELEVISION BROADCASTS LTD. WILL ALSO JOIN THE PARADE.
THE ARMY'S ROYAL GREEN JACKET BAND WILL ENTERTAIN SPECTATORS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE GUESTS.
CHEUNG CHAU RESIDENTS TRADITIONALLY WILL GO ON A VEGETAR LAN DIET DURING THE SIX-DAY FESTIVAL.
THERE WILL ALSO BE NIGHTLY PERFORMANCES OF CHINESE OPERAS AND PRAYERS BY TAOIST PRIESTS.
AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THERE WILL BE A REPEAT OF THE PROCESS JON THE FOLLOWING DAY, FRIDAY.
/AS THOUSANDS