長洲太平清醮 / 包山節

I wandered to the town square to check out the prep for the Cheung Chau Bao Festival (包山節). This is known as the Cheung Chau Da Jiu Festival / 長洲太平清醮, but for ease, many of us call it the 'Bun Festival'. 

This Festival is steeped in Taoist roots; during the three days in the lunar month that falls some time in end April or May, the entire island goes vegetarian, including the McDonald's which will rescind its meat burgers and offer a mushroom burger to diners. 

The town square was a busy hive of activity. SCMP reported that after a three-year hiatus, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival returns this year, but without the impressive 40-foot bamboo bun towers. Three smaller towers have been erected instead for the 'bun scramble' competition. Citing sponsorship, manpower and cost issues, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee said that it was regretful that they couldn't construct the signature towers, and would do better next year. 

Today, I could feel the excitement and also a bit of sadness from the locals because of the watered down version. They had wanted a triumphant return after the three-year pandemic hiatus, but it isn't meant to be. I didn't know what to make of the banners behind those three small bun towers. So strange! The banners depict the actual height of the intended bamboo (now steel, as dictated by the Hong Kong government) towers. Ah well.

I never wanted to be here during the Festival itself. The Parade and the bun scrambling will be fun to watch, but it'll be too crowded for my liking. All the jostling and perspiration, and it might also be canceled if the rain pelts down. However, I quite like being here to visit, a day before the festival begins.

I also wandered into the alleys and checked out a clan association space. The elderly caretaker invited us in to take photos. He didn't bother smiling, but he certainly didn't mind chatting. He even answered my question about the word printed on this set of buns. The word referred to this alley and area of ‘北社’. The word was cleverly shrunk from two into one. So much politics in one bun festival and the various representatives.

Coming out to Cheung Chau for a stroll makes for a nice morning because I prefer sweating it out here than to walk the malls where there's nothing much of interest for me. Here, it feels nice to just take a short boat trip out, and smell the sea breeze, and simply enjoy my short time here. Didn't bother eating a bun though. Not that fond of steamed buns with sesame or lotus paste, unless I'm at someone's home and it's offered to me, then I'll eat it.