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MONDAY, APRIL 28, 1980
YUEN LONG TO CELEBRATE TIN HAU FESTIVAL ON MAY 7
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THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL PROCESSION IN YUEN LONG THIS YEAR WILL BE LARGER IN SCOPE AND MORE COLOURFUL.
THE PROCESSION WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON MAY 7 WILL INCLUDE A BANNER DISPLAY, AN ACROBATIC SHOW, CHINESE FOLK DANCES, BAND MUSIC, TRADITIONAL DRAGON AND LION DANCES, CHIU CHAU GONGS AND DRUMS AS WELL AS FLOATS,
ABOUT 40 ORGANISATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE PART IN THE PROCESSION - 10 MORE THAN LAST YEAR.
IT WILL START AT 10.30 AM, AN HOUR EARLIER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION OF LUNCHTIME TRAFFIC IN YUEN LONG. THE PROCESSION WILL SET OFF FROM EASTERN BUS TERMINUS ARRIVING AT THE YUEN LONG STADIUM VIA FUNG CHEUNG ROAD, CASTLE PEAK ROAD AND TAI YUK ROAD.
AT THE STADIUM, THE PROCESSION WILL PERFORM IN FRONT OF 4 000 INVITED GUESTS, INCLUDING THE GUEST OF HONOUR, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.
THE PROCESSION, WHICH IS ORGANISED BY SHAP PAT HEUNG RURAL COMMITTEE, WILL TAKE MORE THAN ONE AND A HALF HOURS TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE STADIUM. AFTERWARDS, IT WILL MOVE TO THE TIN HAU TEMPLE AT TAI SHUE HA WHERE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES WILL BE STAGED.
THE TRADITIONAL +FA PAU+ DRAW WILL TAKE PLACE AT 4 PM.
ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR SHAP PAT HEUNG RURAL COMMITTEE, TIN HAU FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS IN YUEN LONG GO BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY, WHEN THE PRESENT NEW TOWN WAS A COASTAL FISHING VILLAGE.
THE FESTIVAL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL FOR FISHERMEN WHO PRAY TO TIN HAU, THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, FOR FAIR WEATHER AND GOOD FISHING, THEY ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO HER FOR SUCCESS DURING THE PAST YEAR.
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN'S SHRINE IS IN MOST JUNK CABINS AND HER TEMPLES ARE IN EVERY VILLAGE WHICH FRONTS THE SEA.
+ALTHOUGH TODAY YUEN LONG IS NO LONGER A VILLAGE AND ALTHOUGH PEOPLE HERE NO LONGER EARN THEIR LIVING FROM THE SEA, WE STILL KEEP THE TRADITION AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL A DAY OF FUN AND GAIETY FOR ALL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
BESIDES THE YUEN LONG PROCESSION, THE OTHER MAJOR CELEBRATION IS AT JOSS BAY WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CONVERGE TO WORSHIP AT THE MOST FAMOUS OF THE MANY TIN HAU TEMPLES.
SIMILAR EVENTS, ON A SMALLER SCALE, ARE ALSO HELD AT THE OTHER TIN HAU TEMPLES IN FISHING PORTS AROUND HONG KONG WATERS,
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