2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival, or called 2024 Cheung Chau Da Jiu, is not only one of the most important local cultural events, but also on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.
After the past 12-month preparation, the whole island of Cheung Chau is looking forward to celebrating this unique event and have been busy making costumes, papier-mâché effigies of deities, baking buns, building the bamboo tower for the Bun Scrambling Competition and designing and decorating floats.
Due to the impact of pandemic, this activity has suspended and didn’t opened to public for many years (from 2020-2022). For the moment, the city is trying to restore the normal life as usual. Last year, there were 42 thousand visitors taking ferry to Cheung Chau for the Bun Festival. Thus, it is estimated this year there will be thousands of visitors sailing to Cheung Chau to enjoy and participate this local activity.
Besides the formal traditional celebration, Hong Kong will welcome this special holiday with extra activity “Bun Carnival 2024” on the 5th of May 2024.
Guide to 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival
2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival (Da Jiu)
What is Cheung Chau Bun Festival?
Cheung Chau Bun Festival, also known as Cheung Chau Da Jiu, in Cantonese 太平清醮， is an over-a-century tradition on the small outlying island “Cheung Chau”. “Da Jiu” is the pronunciation of its Cantonese name, meaning a kind of Taoist ceremony praying to god for safety.
This festival is called “Bun Festival” because on this day everyone will buy a lucky bun, a special bun printed with Chinese character “平安” (meaning safe), for good luck.
Lucky buns on Cheung Chau Bun Festival
Every year, the whole island will organize a weeklong celebration, including three days of the vegetarian, parade of floats, tribute to deities of Tin Hau and Pak Tai and Bun Scrambling Competition. Time Magazine listed Cheung Chau Bun Festival as Top 10 Quirky Local Festivals.
Cheung Chau Bun Festival, Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade are listed as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.
The shed built for Cheung Chau Bun Festival Hong Kong
When is 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival?
Cheung Chau Bun Festival usually is held on the 8th day of the fourth month of the Lunar calendar. In 2001, Hong Kong government and the islanders decided to fix the ceremony on the same day of Buddha festival as it is the public holiday of Hong Kong and more people can join the celebration.
For 2024, Cheung Chau Da Jiu will be on the 15th of May 2024 (Friday). From 12th to 16th of May 2024, you can come to the small fishing village and enjoy this traditional event with islanders and visitors.
Paper-made god statues
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Highlights of 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival – What to expect?
In 2024, Cheung Chau will have 5-day celebration full of traditions, including Taoist ceremonies, parades, lion dance, drum beating, Cantonese opera performances, bun snatching and so many local special food.
Pak Tai Temple on Cheung Chau Island
Most of the celebrations are around the Pak Tai Temple. It is the oldest temple on the island and the community center for the islanders.
1. Piu Sik Parade – Floating Color 飄色巡遊
– 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, 15th of May, 2024
The most anticipated highlight of the celebration is the Piu Sik Parade. Usually it will attract the most visitors and photographers standing along the parade route. The Piu Sik (Floating Colours) Parade is a dramatic re-enactment of the ceremonial parade held to drive away from the plague a century ago. The Carnival-like procession will proceed through Cheung Chau’s small and narrow lanes.
Lion dance on Piu Sik Parade
Young model
Over 20 decorated floats as well as lion dancers, musicians and acrobats will join this colorful parade. Each float will have two young children dressed up as deities and modern celebrities balancing on poles and “floating” through the air. Usually the selected kids should not be taller than 42 inches with the weight within 35 pounds. Parents will be very proud when their children are chosen for Piu Sik Parade.
Young chef costume
Dressed to be competitor of Bun Scrambling Competition
Some of the floats are still carried through the narrow lanes with the traditional way: four strong men carry the heavy float on their shoulders. Originally the characters of Piu Sik are dressed to be the deities for bring good luck to villagers. Nowadays, it also adapts to modern life and includes cartoon and well-known characters.
Dressed to be Sun Wukong from Japanese manga Dragon Ball
When is the Piu Sik Parade?
The Piu Sik (Floating Colours) Parade starts around 2:00 pm and will take around 2 hours.
Route of Piu Sui Parade – Where to watch the parade
The parade starts from Pak She Street, passing San Hing Street, Tai Choi Yuen Road, Tai San Back Street, Sun Hing Back Street, then returns to Pak She Street.
You can easily find your way by the colorful flags and waiting crowds along the streets.
Did You Know
As the most popular event of Cheung Chau Bun Festival, be prepared with large crowds on the route of Piu Sik Parade. Try to arrive early to secure a good spot.
Crowds watching Cheung Chau Bun Festival
2. Bun Scrambling Competition
– 11:30 pm – midnight 12:45 am, 15th-16th of May, 2024
The Cheung Chau Da Jiu reaches to the climax on the Bun Snatching Competition. Every year, the selected contestants will climb up on the thousands of buns covered, 23-feet-tall bun tower and grab as many lucky buns as they can during the 3-minute race. Usually, the contestants rush to the top of the bun tower because the buns on the top have the highest value or score.
The Bun Snatching Competition starts around midnight at the Soccer Field of the Pak Tai Temple Playground. Tickets will be given out for free on a first-come-first-served basis from 10:00 pm.
Bun Scrambling Competition of Cheung Chau Bun Festival
Did You Know
Bun Snatching Competition was suspended for 26 years by government due to an accidental collapse of bamboo bun tower and 24 injuries in 1978. It was restored in 2005. Now the bun tower must be built with steel materials. All the contestants need to have special training and safety belt while climbing.
If you would like to witness the competition, you may consider to stay over night on Cheung Chau. There are hotels such as Warwick Hotel, Lychee Sunset Hotel, B & B Cheung Chau for your consideration.
3. Traditional ritual – Returning the deity statue (走菩薩)
At the end of Piu Siu Parade, each team will send the gods back to the shed in a rushing manner. The faster arrival is considered to have better luck in the coming year.
Along with a rush of gongs and drums coming from far to near, each of the parade teams led by Chinese Unicorn (Kirin) quickly runs into the shed one by one. Kirin will first bow to the shed, followed by the sedan chair with the gods carried by four people.
Returning the deity statue
Giant burning incense
4. Cantonese opera, lion dance performance and others
Aside from the Piu Sik Parade and Bun Snatching Competition, visitors also have chances to enjoy the Cantonese opera performances, Lion and Unicorn Dances, Kung-Fu performances as well as traditional ritual.
Traditional Cantonese Opera
Cantonese Opera will be performed from 7:30pm to 11:00 pm at Pak Tai Temple Playground during the 5-day celebrations from 12th to 16th of May 2024.
Cantonese opera performance
Did You Know
“Performing Cantonese Opera and devoting it to the god/buddha is an important part in many traditional festival celebrations in Hong Kong. Festivals such as Tin Hau Birthday Celebration, Tam Kung Festival in Shau Kei Wan as well as Hungry Ghost Festival, all will prepare traditional opera performance for gods.”
Lion Dance and Kirin Dance Performance
For those who love Hong Kong traditional lion dance and Chinese Unicorn dances, mark down the time on your schedule. Both performance will be on the 15th of May at Pak Tai Temple Playground.
Lion dance
Free lucky buns
To share good luck with everyone, free lucky buns will be given out at Pak Tai Temple Playground at 9:00 am, 16th of May 2024.
5. Try a lucky bun on Cheung Chau island
Make sure to try one of the Cheung Chau lucky buns. The “lucky buns” are made of flour, sugar, and water and usually come in the three flavors: sesame, lotus or red bean paste. Traditionally, the buns are stamped with the red Chinese characters “平安”, meaning peace and safety. The islanders and visitors love to get one of these buns for good luck.
Fresh prepared lucky buns in store
Recent years, some bun shops have mixed the traditional ideas with the popular cartoon characters, such as Hello Kitty, Pompompurin, Gudetama. This year the crossover lucky buns have stamped with the cute black bear Kumamon.
Sanrio characters x Lucky buns
6. Only vegetarian food to respect to the tradition
One of the most important parts of Cheung Chau Bun Festival is all the islanders will consume only vegetarian food for three days in order to purify the body and spirit, and also to commemorate those died in the plague.
During the celebration of Bun Festival, most of the restaurants (over 80%) on Cheung Chau island have agreed to serve only vegetarian food to respect this old tradition.
In the previous years, the only McDonald’s on the island also sold only vegetarian burgers during the 3-day vegetarian period.
Why is it so important? – History of Cheung Chau Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival originated in 1894, the late Qing Dynasty, when the islanders battled a devastating plague on the small island of Cheung Chau. As the last way out, the islander petitioned the Taoist god Pak Tai to drive away from the evil spirits by parading statues and other deities through their village. The plague finally ended after the performance. However, the ritual remains for hundred years to commemorate the people who died in the plague.
What else can you do on Cheung Chau Island?
Besides the Bun Festival, Cheung Chau is also a popular holiday and weekend resort for locals. Thus, apart from joining the 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival, there are lots of other things for you to take a look on Cheung Chau Island.
Hidden in the small alleys and footpaths, you will find many snack stores, artist workshops, coffee shop, bars as well as local restaurants. Cheung Chau is also famous for seafood dining.
Cheung Chau giant fish balls
Bring your swim suit if you are a beach lover. Cheung Chau’s Tung Wan Beach is a great place for a relax afternoon.
Tung Wan Beach of Cheung Chau island
How to get to 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival
Simply take the ferry from the Central Pier 5 to Cheung Chau Island. The ferry ride takes approx. 40 minutes (Fast Ferry) or 60 minutes (Ordinary Ferry). Normally ferry will operate between 00:30 am to 11:45 pm.
Usually during the celebration of Cheung Chau Bun Festival, additional ferries will be added to service and extra ferry will depart around 1:30 am on the day of Bun Scrambling Competition. For more details, check the official site of Sun Ferry.
How to get to Central Pier 5?
You can either take MTR to Central station and walk to the ferry pier or take Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier to Central Pier directly.
Bun Carnival 2024
From every Sunday from April 7th till May 16th, 2024, Hong Kong LCSD prepare another celebration “Bun Carnival 2024” at the soccer pitch of Pak Tai Temple Playground on Cheung Chau. Participants can learn and train how to climb bun tower and how to scramble buns. Two rounds of competition will be held on April 14th, 2024 to choose the finalists for the Bun Scrambling Competition of 2024 Cheung Chau Bun Festival.
On the May 5th 2024, the carnival day, visitors can enjoy many activities including game booths, handicraft workshops, bun snatching demonstrations and street performance.
Bun Carnival 2024 Hong Kong