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GRAND PROCESSION ON CHEUNG CHAU
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MONDAY, MAY 16, 1983
THE NARROW STREETS OF CHEUNG CHAU ARE EXPECTED TO BE FILLED WITH THOUSANDS OF LOCAL PEOPLE AND SIGHTSEERS FOR THE TRADITIONAL MAIN PROCESSION OF THE ISLAND'S ANNUAL BUN FESTIVAL ON THURSDAY (MAY 19).
HELD EVERY YEAR TO PLACATE THE SPIRITS OF PEOPLE KILLED BY PIRATES IN PAST CENTURIES, THE PROCESSION WILL FEATURE A PARADE OF ALL THE SHRINES FROM THE ISLAND'S TEMPLES, THE TREASURE SWORD OF PAK TAI TEMPLE, FLOATS, UNICORN AND LION DANCES, FAMOUS CHIU CHAU GONG AND DRUM PERFORMANCES, AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC AND DANCES.
MORE THAN 1 600 PEOPLE FROM 23 LOCAL ORGANISATIONS, SCHOOLS AND SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS WILL TAKE PART IN THE PARADE.
THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS- JONES, WILL OFFICIATE AT AN OPENING CEREMONY.
THE 90-MINUTE PROCESSION WILL SET OFF FROM THE PAK TAI TEMPLE AT 2.30 PM, PASS THE GUEST STAND IN PRAYA STREET AND THEN RETURN TO THE TEMPLE.
THE PROCESSION WILL BE REPEATED ALONG A DIFFERENT ROUTE AT THE SAME TIME THE FOLLOWING DAY.
AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS THERE WILL BE NO SCRAMBLE FOR BUNS WHICH, ACCORDING TO LEGEND, WILL BRING LUCK TO THE RECIPIENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
INSTEAD, THE BUNS ON THREE 12-METRE-TALL BUN TOWERS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE ON FRIDAY AT 9 AM. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ARRANGED FINANCING FOR THE BUILDING OF THE TOWERS.
THE WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL WILL END ON SUNDAY, DURING THE PERIOD, ISLANDERS WILL ABSTAIN FROM EATING FISH AND MEAT AS A TOKEN OF SINCERITY AND SOLEMNITY,
TAOIST PRIESTS WILL CHANT PRAYERS AT THE PAK TAI TEMPLE AT 12 NOON ON WEDNESDAY WHILE THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR WILLIAM YAP, WILL OFFICIATE AT A LION AND UNICORN EYE-DOTTING CEREMONY AT THE TEMPLE AT 3 PM THE SAME DAY.
THE FESTIVAL IS CO-ORDINATED BY AN ORGANISING COMMITTEE COMPRISING CHEUNG CHAU RESIDENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM VAR JOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
NOTE TO EDITORS.
YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL GRAND PROCESSION ON THURSDAY (MAY 19).
A HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY, THE MAN CHEONG, WILL TAKE THE PRESS AND INVITED GUESTS TO CHEUNG CHAU. IT WILL LEAVE QUEEN'S PIER AT 12.30 PM ON THURSDAY (MAY 19) AND WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG AT 4 PM THE SAME DAY.
PRESS BADGES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PRESS MEMBERS BY CNTA INFORMATION OFFICERS ON BOARD THE FERRY.
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