The Bun Festival: The changing culture and tradition of Hong Kong
Background:
The Bun Festival is held once a year in Cheung Chau on the 8th of the fourth lunar month. On that day, a parade, ‘the float procession’ is held in the morning and the Bun Scrambling Competition (搶包山) is held at night. To many people, the Bun Festival is a tourist attraction. In fact, it is a kind of Jiao(醮) Festival which a village might hold every year or every few years. More specifically, it is a Tai Ping Qing Jiao(太平清醮) .This is a religious activity that people pray to Beidi (北帝) for peace. Beidi, based on a note made by Joyce Savidge in This Is Hong Kong: Temples, in 1977, the Cheung Chau people found a black wooden statue of it on a sedan chair which could help them to stop any plague.1
As Joyce states, the Bun Festival began as the Cheung Chau people wanted to thank the Beidi. Yet, the origins of the Bun Festival are unclear.2 According to the interview carried by Choi Chi Cheung, a history professor in the Chinese university of Hong Kong, shares the similar view as Joyce Savidge.3 People started to hold the Bun Festival when a bubonic plague was spread throughout Hong Kong in 1977. After having the Jiao, the plague stopped. In order to thanks Beidi, the Jiao is therefore held every year.
The Bun Festival was originally held on Taipingshan, Hong Kong Island, which later moved to Cheung Chau, as fire regulations were tightened. Before 1970s, only the Huizhou(惠州) people could join the ceremony. The Huizhou people, according to Professor Choi, believed that if letting the outsiders join, Beidi would get angry and punish them. In the interview conducted by Choi, the Huizhou people cited typhoon Wanda as example. In 1962, the organizer of the festival, instead of the Huizhou priest, he invited Chaozhou priests to perform the rituals. Then typhoon Wanda struck later and so the people thought that the organizer had angered the deities. However, as people nowadays become more scientific and religion does not play such an important role in their lives, everyone can join the ceremony and the parade and the ‘scramble for bun’ competition become a must –see events for tourists visiting Hong Kong.
1 Joyce Savidge, This is Hong Kong: Temples (Hong Kong: A Hong Kong Government Publication, 1977), p. 82. 2 Ibid. 3 Martin Williams. A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 2007. 20 May 2008
1 1978 and 2005 were the two turning points of the Bun festival. The ‘scramble for bun’ competition was banned in 1978 as one of the bun towers collapsed, resulting over 100 people being injured. The activity restarted in 2005 but the regulations have changed. All towers’ framework has to be made by metal and only 12 competitors are allowed to join. All of them have to use safety harnesses. The way to deal with the buns also changed. Traditional buns are replaced by plastic buns and all of them are wrapped up by plastic bags. Though the former practices are changed, more people are attracted to join the activity after the ‘scramble for bun’ competition is resumed. After all, the ‘scramble for bun’ competition is an exciting game and a food sport that people are not willing to miss.
Introduction
As religion played an important role in the lives of Hong Kong people in the past, there were many rituals that people had to strictly stick to. For example, only the Huizhou people could join the ceremony. Yet, as time progresses, the focus of the people switched from religion to economic development. People try every means to gain money and they see the Bun Festival as a very good opportunity to do so. Therefore, starting from around 1960s, the Bun Festival changed from a religious ceremony to a tourist attraction which contributes to Hong Kong economy. To appeal to different people, instead of worshipping gods and goddesses, various themes are added to the parade and will be changed every year. Besides, manufacturers develop brands of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival and design products that contain the festival’s characteristics.
In addition, the Bun Festival now also serves as an occasion that the people stay in Cheung Chau and those who have left get together and have a fun time with their family members. Cheung Chau is an island that has still not yet fully developed. In order to have a better prospect, young people in Cheung Chau usually would leave and live in the city centre. Since the older generation will stay in Cheung Chau and they are not available due to their work, the young people seldom see their family members. The annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival provides an excellent opportunity for them to have reunions with their relatives and friends.
Cheung Chau Bun Festival is one of the traditional local festivals and is a heritage of Hong Kong. Yet, during the long development of it, the colonial government did not play an active role to preserve it. After reunited with China, the HKSAR government changed a lot of the practices and the rituals of the Bun Festival.
2 To a certain extent, the government accelerated the fading of it. However, unlike the colonial government, the HKSAR government did not ban everything. It even included the festival as one of the tourists’ attractions in the tourists guide and made Cheung Chau the Recommended District of May. This is mostly the Bun Festival can help to boost Hong Kong’s tourism and has the value of national education.
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is a festival originated in Hong Kong and its changes reflects the changes in Hong Kong people, especially the Cheung Chau locals’ lives and values.
This paper will therefore first discuss the change and continuity of Hong Kong tradition and culture, as reflected in the Bun Festival. Second, it will analyze the roles played by the colonial government before 1997 and the HKSAR government in arousing public’s awareness of the preservation of local heritage.
The change of tradition and culture
The Jiao Festival or what the present-day tourists refer to the Bun Festival has been celebrated since the bubonic plague hit Hong Kong in the second half of the 19th century. Despite the continuation of the celebration for more than a century, it has in fact undergone several changes in traditions and culture during this period when comparing the festival in the past and that of the present-day.
Changes have taken place in the rituals of the Bun Festival. The Bun Festival is a three-day event which contains a number of rituals to be held respectively on each day. The Bun Festival Parade and the Bun Scrambling Competition are the key attractions and the highlights of the celebration. However, the two rituals of today do not really look exactly the same as that of the past. According to Mr. Lee Kin Ding4, the President of the Cheungchau Beishe Jiefang Hui(長洲北社街坊會), at the beginning, the Bun Festival Parade was only a parade to place back the statues of several gods and goddesses back into different temples after the sacrificial rite finished and to in order show gratitude to their blessings, there was lion dance on the way. It was until 1925, a man from Huizhou who lived in Cheung Chau introduced the ‘modern way’ of parade that imitated the zou gu shi(走古事) of the fo shan qiu se(佛山秋色) with people dressed up like the mythological figures or household figures in the novels and being held up with wires and struts to there. The parade is a key spotlight of tourists. There are banner-men, lion dancers, stick-dancers,
4 Mr. Lee Kin Ding is our informant.
3 percussion bands and small children dress up elaborately and heavily made-up, balance magically on the poles or the handles of axes, staking stately above the crowds.5 Today, children do not only dress up like historical or mythological figures, but also celebrities, politicians such as Donald Tsang, Anson Chan, characters of TV drama series and figures relating to current issues, for example, the torchbearer and the equestrian that represent the Beijing Olympics. All these make the festival more fascinating and entertaining. The Bun Scrambling Competition which is held on the same day of the parade at midnight is the climax of the festival. The Bun Scrambling Competition had once been banned by the colonial government due to the collapse of one of the bun towers injuring more than a hundred people and a certain number of deaths in 1978. In the article ‘A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival’, it reveals the secret of how the event was like 30years ago.6 The bun towers were all made of bamboo, and around 60 feet high. There were neither any safety regulations nor even thoughts of safety of the competition. All the young men swarm all over the towers like ‘bees over a honeycomb’ with bare hands and to collect the buns as fast as they could. The exciting event usually lasts for around 10 minutes and after that, only ‘three sorry-looking frames of bamboo, tattered paper and rough string’ were left.
The halt of the Bun Scrambling Competition had lasted for a few decades. In 2005, HKSAR government finally approved the request from the Bun Festival organizers to restart the scramble.7 Yet, the government revived the tradition in a cautious manner. There are a number of new rules and regulations as well as safety precautions to be followed. For examples, the bun tower is now built with a metal framework and is turned to be 14-metre-steel- towers. The number of participants has to remain small to ensure safety. In 2005, only 12 people were allowed to compete in the first race. All participants are also required to use safety harnesses. Moreover, the government showed concern on the buns. Back in those days, the steamed buns were kept out on towers for three days, people would then knock them down and distribute them to islanders as most people believed that eating those buns could bring them good fortune and the buns were supposed to have medicinal benefits. Considering eating the buns which has been exposed in outdoor for such a long time many pose a threat on people’s health, the officials decreed the buns had to be individually wrapped in clear plastic.8 In the next year, the officials have gone even further: only
5 Jan Morris, Hong Kong (United States: Vintage Departures Edition, 1997), p.121. 6 A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 2007. Martin Williams. 20 May 2008
4 plastic buns are allowed to use on the climbing tower to prevent people from slipping off. In spite of the revival of the scramble, the series of changes implemented have aroused further dissatisfaction and disappointment of many local people. Kwok Kam-chuen, a 58-year-old baker, who has made the buns for more than three decades expressed his confusion towards the change, “With the steel tower and plastic buns, the climb will be turned into just another sport. On one hand, I appreciate the concern for hygiene and safety. But on the other hand, the heritage value will be gone and the meaning will be lost.”9 Mr. Lee, our informant also believes that ‘the ‘‘safe scramble” is far less spectacular and exciting’. Even though the most of the rituals and traditions are still kept into practice today, a number of changes have taken place to serve for different purposes and needs in society.
From the changes that taking place in the rituals, it is obvious that the Bun Festival of present-day has transformed from a purely religious and spiritual ceremony to be a wonderfully colourful carnival. Although the origins of the Bun Festival are unclear, according to Mr. Lee Jian Ding and Choi Chi-cheung, the festival originated from a disastrous bubonic plague during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).10 The festival was first held at Taipingshan District on Hong Kong Island, a very crowded district with many people died of the plague, when a man from Huizhou (Hailufeng) asked Pak Tei (Beidi) to stop the plague, other residents offered incense and prayers and very soon, the disease subsided. Later, the festival was banned in Taipingshan, as fire regulations were tightened.11 The festival was then transferred to Cheung Chau, where there was a strong Huizhou community in Pak She Street. The Bun Festival was originally ‘a festival centring on Beidi to pacify the spirits of the dead and other forces that might bring misfortune.’ The Bun Festival, in Chinese, Tai Ping Qing Jiao which literally means the ‘Purest Sacrifice celebrated for Great Peace’ (太平清醮). Nevertheless, even this occasion is continued to celebrate, in the eyes of tourists, Hong Kong people or even the local people in Cheung Chau, it is more like a carnival and an attractive tourist pot. Leaflets or brochures about the Bun Festival always emphasize on its carnival atmosphere. For example, from the information published by Hong Kong Tourist Board, the festival is described as ‘a wonderfully colourful event that takes place on Cheung Chau’ whereas the Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage expressed it as ‘a weeklong celebration in a carnival and spiritual atmosphere’. Not only is the Bun Festival popular among
9 A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 2007. Martin Williams. 20 May 2008
5 the Chinese population, but it is also a ‘red-letter event’ on the tourist calendar. Every year, there are more than ten thousand people, both tourists from Hong Kong as well as overseas visit Cheung Chau to watch the celebration. In order to promote this festival to tourists, Hong Kong Tourists Board even organizes the Bun Festival Tour which is conducted in English and costs $590 each.12 Moreover, the children performing in the Bun Festival Parade nowadays not only dressed as household figures in Chinese history and mythology like Tianhou, but also many modern figures such as the politicians such as Donald Tsang, Anson Chan and Regina Yip. In this year’s event, children are also dressed like torchbearer and equestrian since the Olympics is going to be held. Despite the origin of the parade was to show gratitude and respect to the gods and spirits, such changes as suggested by Mr. Lee, are ‘ to entertain people and ourselves and make the whole thing more interesting’. The present-day Bun Festival acts as a carnival-like tourist attraction and its role as a religious ritual is less emphasized.
The present-day Bun Festival has already been commercialized. Being a great tourist attraction, the festival has created opportunities for various commercial activities, the retailing sector, in particular, benefit the most. There are lots of souvenirs relating to the Bun Festival selling in Cheung Chau. A local brand which is known as Ba Dui Ban Tang(八對半堂) has tried to commercialize the local festival by introducing different souvenirs of the Bun Festival since 2006 . The products include bun pockets, bun cushions, fans, accessories, etc. In 2007, Ba Dui Ban Tang also introduced the ‘mini bun’ which was actually the bun in mini-size.13 A pack of 6 mini-buns costs $24. All these products are very popular among the tourists. According to the project manager of the company, Mr. Weng Yi Ming(翁奕銘), all 10000 bun pockets and 3000 cushions has been sold out within a day. About 2500 packs of mini buns were sold. Mr. Luo Chong Wei (羅崇威), the obligate of another local brand selling souvenirs of the Bun festival, Mr. Bun, claims that the turnover of the company is double every year and he predicted that the turnover of this year will be nearly 20 thousand dollars.14 The competition becomes keener. Thus, both of them have introduced new products every year to attract the customers. Apart from this, the Bun Scrambling Competition in 2008 is sponsored by the 3D-Gold Jewellery together with the Islands District Council.15 Therefore, trophies will be awarded to the winner, the first runner-up and the second runner-up. Apparently, the celebration of the Bun
12 2007 Bun Festival and Island Hopping Tour. Hong Kong Tourism Board. 25 May 2008
6 Festival has become a kind of business now.
The celebration of the Bun Festival has lasted for more than a century. During such a long period of time, it has undergone several changes in terms of the rituals, value and function.
The role of the government:
There are two turning points in the development of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. One is in 1978 and the other in 2005. Both of the changes are due to the decisions made by the government regarding the safety of the people. In 1978, under the rule of colonial government, the safety of Hong Kong population was the concern of the government but not the preservation of tradition and culture. Therefore, when one of the bun towers collapsed and hurt many people that year, the colonial government simply banned the entire scramble for bun competition 16 . The government was in fact in a role that accelerated the fading of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. After 1997, Hong Kong reunited with China. Since then, Hong Kong is under the HKSAR government’s rule. To a larger extent, the HKSAR government tries to preserve and promote the Cheung Chau Bun Festival through joining the organization work and revived the Scramble for bun competition, in order to attract the tourists and to promote national education. However, at the same time, it changes a lot of traditional practices and rituals. In some sense, it is contributing to the loss of this traditional heritage.
The colonial government was not interested in local heritage preservation in and never played an active role in it. It put Human safety in the number one priority. Anything that goes against it would be strictly prohibited. The changing of the holding place of the Bun Festival is a good example. Originally, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival was held in the Taipingshan in Hong Kong Island. Yet, according to Professor Choi Chi Cheung’s interview, after the government noticed that burning of incents and paper money is involved in the ceremony and there are chances that would hurt the people, it immediately tightened the fire regulation and the activity was not allowed to hold in the urban area anymore.17 Therefore, the activity was forced to be hold in Cheung Chau, which is far from the urban area.
16 A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 2007. Martin Williams. 20 May 2008
17 A Brief History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 2007. Martin Williams. 20 May 2008
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For a long period, the colonial government did not get involved in the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. Yet, the accident happened in 1978 made the colonial government intervened in this activity for one more time. The accident was caused by the rotten bamboo framework used in the bun tower. According to the informant Lee Kin Ding(李見定) , the Bun Scrambling Competition was the tradition of the Bun Festival. The bun towers are made of bamboo and are around 60 feet high. At exactly midnight, when the competitors hear the gong sound, they will rush to the towers and begin to climb up. Some climb up inside the tower and burst through at the top. This is in fact very dangerous as the towers are tall and the competitors did not wear a safety harness. The accident happened in 1978 is exactly because of this. When one of the competitors burst out from inside the tower, as the bamboo had rotten already, the bun tower collapsed and caused over 100 people in injury. Without thinking of any other option, the government banned the scramble for buns competition at once. Based on the other interviewee, Sing, after the banning the competition, the people joining the Cheung Chau Bun Festival dropped. The festival was fading because of the decision made by the government.
After reunited with China, Hong Kong is under the rule of the HKSAR government. Not being under the colonial government, the Chinese government wants the Hong Kong to have a self-identity. One of the ways to obtain it is to promote national education. The Cheung Chau Bun festival is an excellent teaching material for it as it is originated from Hong Kong and possesses some local characteristics like the perfect blend of the oriental and western culture. Besides, the HKSAR government notices that the festival can attract tourists and boost Hong Kong’s tourism. Therefore, it put in many resources to promote the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. For example, based on the information found in the webpage of the Tourism Board, the government made Cheung Chau the Recommended District of May (as the Bun Festival was held on May in the Christian calendar).18 Besides, a government department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, co-organized the event with the Jiao council and the event is sponsored by the island District Council.19 The most important point is that it revived the scramble for buns competition in 2005, when the Cheung Chau locals can provide document that the bun tower is safe for climbing. Also, they have to take out public liability insurance with sufficient coverage and submit a comprehensive and effective proposal on safety measures to
18 Bun Festival in Cheung Chau.1998. Chinese Civilization Centre of City University of Hong Kong. 25 May 2008
8 safeguard climbers and other participants of the activity. Simply, as long as the Cheung Chau organizer can guarantee the safety of the people, the competition can be revived.
Though the HKSAR government helps to preserve and promote this festival, it changes a lot of traditional practices and rituals. According to Professor Choi’s interview, there was no limitation on the number of competitors before the competition was banned. Yet, the number of competitors are now restricted to twelve. Besides, they now have to wear a safety harness. For the material to make the framework of the towers, it changes from bamboo to metal. Also, all the buns are made of plastic and are put in a plastic bag. ‘This is not the same’ said Mr. Lee. ‘The government changed out practices. I understand the government has to make sure the safety of the people. But on the other hand, the heritage value will be gone and the meaning will be lost.’
1997 is the turning point of the government’s role towards the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. Before 1997, the colonial government did not try any method to preserve the heritage of Hong Kong. When the HKSAR government took up Hong Kong, it started to preserve and promote it. Though it changes some traditional practices and rituals, it is for the sake of the people’s safety. In some sense, it is a loss of heritage and tradition. Yet, the safety of the people is also important. In fact, the government has already found a balance between the two.
Conclusion
From the 2nd half of the 19th century till now, the Bun Festival has continued and eventually becomes one of the most eminent local characteristics of Hong Kong. Although the tradition of celebrating the festival is kept, its rituals, value and function have changed to serve for more and newer purposes, for instance, a tourist attraction and a commercial activity instead of a purely religious ceremony. On the other hand, the government has also played a role in contributing to the transformation into the present-day Bun Festival. By analyzing the change and continuity of the Bun Festival, it helps to reveal the development of Hong Kong as well as the change of values of Hong Kong people throughout this period.
9 Bibliography
David, Faure., HONG KONG A Reader in Social History. Hong Kong: Oxford ,2003
Sui Jeung ,Chan., Calendar of Traditional Chinese Festivals and Local Celebrations. Hong Kong: Wan Li Book Co.Ltd ,2004
Yuen Hei.,Yu, Chi Wing.,Cheung, Chit Chi.,Yuen, KwokKam.,Kwong, Tung Lam.,Wan, Kay Chuen.,Ming, Chi Hong.,Lo, Sin Fun.,Ko., HERITAGE OF THE ISLANDS DISTRICT The Islands District Board ,1993
Chamberlain, Jonathan., The Bun Festival of Chung Chau. Studio Publications,1990
Savidge, J., This is Hong Kong: Temples. Hong Kong: A Hong Kong Government Publication, 1977.
Web Site used:
Hong Kong Government Websites .2008. HKSAR Government. 2 May 2008 http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200205/17/0517129.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200205/18/0518091.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200305/07/0506262.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200405/14/0514318.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200405/21/0521257.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200702/16/P200702160249.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200803/27/P200803270107.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200805/04/P200805040139_print.htm
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200805/11/P200805090294_print.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200805/13/P200805090303.htm
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10 Bun Festival in Cheung Chau .2005. Chinese civilization centre of the City University. 4 May 2008 http://www.english.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/jiedan/changchau.php
Chung Chau Hong Kong. 2007. Martin Williams. 17 May 2008. http://www.cheungchauhk.com/cheung-chau-history/brief-histroy-cheung-chau-bun-f estival
“Bun Carnival 2008”. 2008. Leisure and Cultural Service Department. 17 May 2008. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/specials/bun2008/en/prospectus.php
Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival 2008. 2008. Hong Kong Tourism Board. 17 May 2008. http://www.discoverhongkong.com/taiwan/heritage/images/bun_fest.pdf
Comment: The report was a very detailed account of the Bun Festival, with a detailed account of its changes and development. Some vague attempts were made to explore its meaning to the community.
評語： 本報告詳述太平清醮的內容，亦詳細討論其轉變與發展。對社區意義的探討十分 含混。
評級 Level: L3 評分 Marks: 10
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