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of the words in Cantonese, which sound similar to words meaning “more sons". This custom was, however, unknown in the Sha Tin or Sha Tau Kok areas.
The hot air balloons made by the villagers are made in this way. Firstly, suitable green bamboo is found, cut, and shaved to provide a flexible but tough strip of bamboo skin (see plate 2). This is bent round to form a hoop, with the green skin facing inside, for maximum strength, and bound together with twine. This hoop of bamboo forms the rim of the balloon, and it is stiffened by ribs of thin wire, tautened with wire wound around the centre point. Once the rim is complete, it is carefully glued to the open end of the balloon proper (see plate 3). The balloon proper consists of sheets of rice paper glued together to form a cylinder open at the base and closed in to a conical shape at the top. The balloon has no struts except for the single rim hoop. The balloons can be from 15 to 30 feet in height depending on the amount of time, effort, and cash expended: the diameter of the rim, however, has to increase with any increase in size, which makes the larger balloons awkward to handle.
Meanwhile the motive power of the balloon is prepared. Previously, this was a ball of shredded rags of hemp cloth or kapok bound tightly with thin wire. The ball was soaked with peanut oil. The oil-soaked ball was then set in the sun for the oil to concentrate by evaporation. Once it had concentrated it was soaked with oil again, and again set to concentrate. This was repeated until the whole ball was filled with a soft, tallow-like fatty substance, the concentrated essence of the oil. Nowadays, the ball is made of cotton waste and is soaked in diesel oil or some other commercial oil, for greater convenience.
The completed balloon, and the oil-soaked ball, are taken out to a site outside the village, away from houses which might be at risk from fire (see plate 4). A small fire is lit on the ground, and the balloon is held over it by a group of the village youths. As the fire warms the air inside the balloon, it slowly rises up and the wrinkles in the balloon skin smooth out (see plate 5). As this process goes on, the "tail" of the balloon is attached to the centre of the wire struts at the rim: this tail is a long string, up to 100 yards long, with firecrackers attached, or else strings of fire balls — smaller versions of the oil-soaked ball prepared earlier. These have to be carefully held by village youths to ensure they are free
209
of the words in Cantonese, which sound similar to words meaning “more sons". This custom was, however, unknown in the Sha Tin or Sha Tau Kok areas.
The hot air balloons made by the villagers are made in this way. Firstly, suitable green bamboo is found, cut, and shaved to provide a flexible but tough strip of bamboo skin (see plate 2). This is bent round to form a hoop, with the green skin facing inside, for maximum strength, and bound together with twine. This hoop of bamboo forms the rim of the balloon, and it is stiffened by ribs of thin wire, tautened with wire wound around the centre point. Once the rim is complete, it is carefully glued to the open end of the balloon proper (see plate 3). The balloon proper consists of sheets of rice paper glued together to form a cylinder open at the base and closed in to a conical shape at the top. The balloon has no struts except for the single rim hoop. The balloons can be from 15 to 30 feet in height depending on the amount of time, effort, and cash expended: the diameter of the rim, however, has to increase with any increase in size, which makes the larger balloons awkward to handle.
Meanwhile the motive power of the balloon is prepared. Previously, this was a ball of shredded rags of hemp cloth or kapok bound tightly with thin wire. The ball was soaked with peanut oil. The oil soaked ball was then set in the sun for the oil to concentrate by evaporation. Once it had concentrated it was soaked with oil again, and again set to concentrate. This was repeated until the whole ball was filled with a soft, tallow-like fatty substance, the concentrated essence of the oil. Nowadays, the ball is made of cotton waste and is soaked in diesel oil or some other commercial oil, for greater convenience.
The completed balloon, and the oil-soaked ball, are taken out to a site outside the village, away from houses which might be at risk from fire (see plate 4). A small fire is lit on the ground, and the balloon is held over it by a group of the village youths. As the fire warms the air inside the balloon, it slowly rises up and the wrinkles in the balloon skin smooth out (see plate 5). As this process goes on, the "tail" of the balloon is attached to the centre of the wire struts at the rim: this tail is a long string, up to 100 yards long, with firecrackers attached, or else strings of fire balls — smaller versions of the oil-soaked ball prepared earlier. These have to be carefully held by village youths to ensure they are free
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