TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1987
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YUEN LONG CELEBRATES TIN HAU FESTIVAL
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THE ANNUAL TIN HAU FESTIVAL WILL FALL ON MONDAY (APRIL 20) THIS YEAR AND COLOURFUL CELEBRATIONS WILL BE HELD IN YUEN LONG, HIGHLIGHTED BY A GRAND PROCESSION TO COMMEMORATE THE BIRTHDAY OF THE SEA GODDESS.
THE ANNUAL PROCESSION, FIRST HELD IN 1963, IS ORGANISED BY THE SHAP PAT HEUNG RURAL COMMITTEE WITH ABOUT 2 000 PEOPLE FROM 12 LOCAL ORGANISATIONS TAKING PART.
STARTING AT 10.30 AM, THE TWO-HOUR PARADE OF DRAGON, LIONS, FLOATS, CHIU CHOW GONGS AND DRUMS AND CHINESE FOLK DANCES WILL SET OFF FROM FUNG CHEUNG ROAD IN YUEN LONG TOWN EAST.
IT WILL WIND ALONG HOP YICK, TAI TONG, KAU YUK AND TAI YUK ROADS BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE YUEN LONG STADIUM FOR A FINALE.
THE PROCESSION ROUTE THIS YEAR HAS BEEN PLANNED SPECIFICALLY TO AVOID USING THE SECTION OF CASTLE PEAK ROAD (YUEN LONG MAIN ROAD) IN THE TOWN WHERE EXTENSIVE ROAD WORKS ARE UNDER WAY IN CONNECTION WITH THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT.
THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, DR JAMES HAYES WILL BE THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE FESTIVAL PROCESSION. HE WILL OFFICIATE THE CELEBRATIONS AT 11 AM AT THE YUEN LONG STADIUM.
IN CONNECTION WITH FESTIVAL, A TRADITIONAL +FA PAU+ LOTTERY WILL ALSO BE HELD IN THE OPEN AREA OUTSIDE THE TIN HAU TEMPLE AT TAI SHU HA, SHAP PAT HEUNG AT 2.30 PM.
THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BOAT PEOPLE WHO PRAY TO TIN HAU (GODDESS OF HEAVEN) FOR FAIR WEATHER AND GOOD TIDINGS ALL YEAR ROUND. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS EVENTS FOR YUEN LONG PEOPLE, DATING BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY WHEN THE DISTRICT WAS A COASTAL FISHING VILLAGE AND THE RESIDENTS WERE MAINLY FISHERMEN.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL PROCESSION TO BE HELD FROM 10.30 AM IN YUEN LONG ON MONDAY. PRESS BADGES FOR THE EVENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE NEWS AND PUBLICITY DIVISION OF THE CNTA HEADQUARTERS, 12TH FLOOR, WORLD SHIPPING CENTRE, NO. 7 CANTON ROAD, HARBOUR CITY, TSIM SHA TSUI, KOWLOON. PLEASE NOTE THAT AS PRESS BADGES ARE LIMITED, EACH ORGANISATION IS ENTITLED TO ONLY TWO BADGES. TWO GOVERNMENT VANS WILL LEAVE KOWLOON PUBLIC PIER BY 9 AM SHARP ON MONDAY TO TAKE PRESS MEMBERS TO YUEN LONG. SEATS WILL BE ALLOCATED ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED BASIS.
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