FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1985
15
GRAND PROCESSION ON CHEUNG CHAU
****
THOUSANDS OF LOCAL SIGHTSEERS AND TOURISTS WILL FLOCK TO CHEUNG CHAU FOR THE TRADITIONAL PROCESSION OF THE ANNUAL BUN FESTIVAL ON MONDAY (MAY 27) AFTERNOON.
MORE THAN 1 000 PEOPLE FROM 15 ORGANISATIONS, SCHOOLS AND SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS WILL TAKE PART IN THE GRAND PROCESSION WHICH WILL FEATURE A PARADE OF SHRINES FROM THE ISLAND'S TEMPLES, THE TREASURE SWORD OF PAK TAI, FLOATS, UNICORNS AND LION DANCES, GONG AND DRUM PERFORMANCES AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSIC AND DANCES.
THE HOUR-LONG PROCESSION, BEGINNING AT 2 PM, WILL START FROM PAK TAI TEMPLE PASSING THROUGH PRAYA STREET TO THE GUEST STAND BEFORE RETURNING TO THE TEMPLE VIA OTHER MAIN STREETS ON THE ISLAND.
THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, WILL PRESENT PENNANTS TO THE MARSHALS OF PARADE TEAMS.
THREE 12-METRE TALL BUN TOWERS HAVE BEEN BUILT AT THE PAK TAI SQUARE WITH $55 000 CONTRIBUTED BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT BOARD.
AS IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, THERE WILL BE NO SCRAMBLE FOR BUNS WHICH, ACCORDING TO LEGEND, WILL BRING GOOD LUCK TO RECIPIENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. INSTEAD, THE BUNS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, TUESDAY, AT 9 AM.
THE BUN FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED TO PLACATE THE SPIRITS OF PEOPLE KILLED BY PIRATES IN THE PAST CENTURIES.
AS A TOKEN OF SINCERITY AND SOLEMNITY, THE ISLANDERS WILL ABSTAIN FROM EATING FISH AND MEAT FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS STARTING TOMORROW (SATURDAY), AND THERE WILL ALSO BE NO SLAUGHTERING OF ANIMALS DURING THE PERIOD,
OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CANTONESE OPERA PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL.
ON SUNDAY (MAY 26), THE DAY BEFORE THE GRAND PROCESSION, THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR WILLIAM YAP, WILL OFFICIATE AT AN EYE-DOTTING CEREMONY AT PAK TAI SQUARE, AT 3 PM, BRINGING TO LIFE LIONS AND UNICORNS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESSION.
-
/16