Hong Kong's Bun Festival

Hong Kong's Bun Festival by ReadWorks

The region of Hong Kong, in East Asia, is made up of hundreds of islands, some very small and some quite large. One of those islands is named Cheung Chau, a tiny territory shaped like a dumbbell. Less than an hour away from Hong Kong's main island by ferry boat, Cheung Chau is famous for the festival it throws every year in spring, usually in April or May.

The festival lasts for about a week and is called the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. It is named after the steamed buns-small, round pastries filled with sweet paste-that are eaten on this holiday. Though Cheung Chau is usually a quiet fishing village, hundreds of thousands of people visit during festival time. They come to celebrate and to eat the island's famous buns, which are all stamped in red with the Chinese character that means "peace."

As part of the celebration, the people who live on the island organize a giant parade. The excited crowd leaves from Cheung Chau's big temple, called the Pak Tai Temple, and winds its way around town. Children dress up like divine and legendary Chinese characters and sit at the top of long poles that are paraded through the streets, like living floats. There are also drummers, opera singers, and dancers dressed as dragons and lions.

For a few days before the parade, the residents of Cheung Chau only eat vegetarian food, but afterward, it is tradition to eat meat. Once the procession is over, the island's butchers reopen their doors, and there is a great feast.

The real highlight of the festival, however, happens at the stroke of midnight. It's the Bun Scrambling Competition. Several huge towers are built in the center of the island and are covered with plastic buns. Contestants climb up the towers as fast as possible and throw as many buns as they can over their shoulders and into the open knapsacks they carry on their backs.

"This is one of the biggest traditional celebrations in Hong Kong," says Mason Hung, a Hong Kong Tourism Board senior manager. "It has been so well preserved."

The contest was put on hold from 1978 to 2005, because one of the towers fell down. Now there are new rules: the structures need to be made of steel instead of bamboo. And instead of being open to everyone, only twelve carefully chosen participants can join in. First, though, they are trained in the basics of safe climbing.

Luckily for everyone else present, tasty buns are given out at the end of the competition, and the boat back to Hong Kong's main island runs all night long.

Definition noun 1. a group of shows, events, or special activities usually planned around a type of food, a season, or a kind of art or music.

We tried maple syrup at the maple festival.

Advanced Definition noun 1. a day or more of celebration to commemorate a notable occasion, such as a religious holiday.

December 13 is the festival of St. Lucia in Scandinavia.

2. a regularly occurring ceremony or celebration involving special activities or amusements.

We drank apple cider and carved pumpkins at the harvest festival.

3. a series of presentations, or a gathering of exhibitors in one or more of the fine arts, theater arts, or crafts, or such a gathering based on any of various central themes.

Are you going to the folk music festival this weekend?

We saw how they make Swiss cheese at the cheese festival.

adjective 1. of or suited to a festival.

a festival atmosphere

Spanish cognate festival: The Spanish word festival means festival.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. The festival is celebrated around May 16th every year and invites visitors from all over the world. 2. Ballroom dancing has been around since at least the Middle Ages (from about 500 to 1500). It was especially popular at fairs and festivals in the 1400s. 3. A few years ago, officials decided to make their city famous by breaking world records-any world record. The stunt spread like wildfire. The city now holds a month-long record-breaking festival each year. 4. Joanna took the atlas out. It was a book with many maps. Beth helped them find Salvador: "See Cindy! Here we are-in North America. And Salvador is in Brazil; in South America." "It's not so far," Cindy said, looking at the map. "No, it isn't," Mona added. "And look here, São Paulo is in Brazil too! They have a pancake festival there every year in the summer." ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved. ReadWorks Vocabulary - pastry pastry pas·try

Advanced Definition noun 1. a dough of flour, shortening, and water that is baked and used for pie crusts and the like.

2. food, esp. sweet baked goods, made with such dough.

Spanish cognate pasteles: The Spanish word pasteles means pastry.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. While kids can choose an appetizer of veggies or cold cuts, there are also hot local specialties available. A good example is friands-puff pastries filled with ground meat (usually pork), herbs and eggs. 2. The Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack is a wooden mess hall, where, outside, wild pigs run free. (The pigs are fed syrup, too.) The supper served inside is one capable of sending eaters into hibernation. In 2012, the meal began with dessert: maple nougat, maple cotton candy and tiny maple pastries. 3. North Oaklanders can sip lattes and cappuccinos made by a brand new, stateoftheart espresso machine. Pastries, bagels, and a full breakfast and lunch menu are also available for hungry patrons.

ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved. ReadWorks Vocabulary - tradition tradition tra·di·tion

Definition noun 1. the beliefs and ways of doing things that are passed down from parents to children.

Many people celebrate holidays by carrying out old family traditions.

Advanced Definition noun 1. the process of handing down a culture's beliefs, customs, and mores from one generation to the next.

Tradition has preserved many of our ancient customs.

2. the beliefs, customs, and mores of a culture or group handed down from one generation to the next, or any one of these.

Tradition calls for the bride to wear white on her wedding day.

She is bound by tradition to live with her husband's family.

He accused his father of being blinded by tradition.

It is a tradition in our family to open presents on Christmas Eve.

Spanish cognate tradición: The Spanish word tradición means tradition.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. Montreal has a unique bagel tradition that dates back to at least 1919. The Montreal bagel is chewier, smaller and less dense, but with a much bigger hole, than its American cousin. 2. Traditions such as judo, karate, and tae kwon do build confidence and strength while burning calories. 3. Those who oppose the NCAA's new rules say that the schools are honoring the traditions of Native American tribes by the names and mascots the schools choose. 4. It is important to remember that Native Americans had established customs, beliefs, traditions, and general ways of living well before European influences began to spread across the continent.

Name: ______Date: ______1. What is Cheung Chau famous for?

A. the Cheung Chau Bun Festival B. its dumbbell shape C. the hundreds of islands it is close to D. the Pak Tai Temple

2. What does the author describe in the passage?

A. a popular bun-eating competition B. events in the Cheung Chau Bun Festival C. the decorative traditional clothing of Hong Kong D. important religious ceremonies in Hong Kong

3. The Cheung Chau Bun Festival is a busy and popular festival. What evidence from the passage best supports this conclusion?

A. "As part of the celebration, the people who live on the island organize a giant parade." B. "For a few days before the parade, the residents of Cheung Chau only eat vegetarian food, but afterward, it is tradition to eat meat." C. "The excited crowd leaves from Cheung Chau's big temple, called the Pak Tai Temple, and winds its way around town." D. "Though Cheung Chau is usually a quiet fishing village, hundreds of thousands of people visit during festival time."

4. Read the following sentences: "The contest was put on hold from 1978 to 2005, because one of the towers fell down. Now there are new rules: the structures need to be made of steel instead of bamboo. And instead of being open to everyone, only 12 carefully chosen participants can join in. First, though, they are trained in the basics of safe climbing."

Based on this information, what can you infer?

A. No one was hurt when one of the towers fell. B. The contest was not missed from 1978 to 2005. C. People were hurt when one of the towers fell. D. The contest and its rules have never changed.

5. What is this passage mostly about?

A. a traditional celebration in Hong Kong B. people who climb towers of plastic buns C. how to make traditional steamed buns D. a parade with drummers, opera singers, and dancers

6. Read the following sentences.

"For a few days before the parade, the residents of Cheung Chau only eat vegetarian food, but afterward, it is tradition to eat meat. Once the procession is over, the island's butchers reopen their doors, and there is a great feast."

What does "procession" mean as used in this sentence?

A. celebration B. offering C. ceremony D. march

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

The Bun Scrambling Competition was cancelled from 1978 to 2005, ______later returned with new rules.

A. before B. but C. thus D. like

8. What is the highlight of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival?

9. Describe the Bun Scrambling Competition.

10. Explain why the Cheung Chau Bun Festival may have been so well preserved. Support your answer using information from the passage.