2023 Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade and Races – Intangible Cultural Heritage of China

The 2023 Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade or Gods Parade comes back on the 22nd of June 2023 again. It is very special religious dragon boat events on Dragon Boat Festival every year. As one of the last remaining fishing villages of Hong Kong, the residents of Tai O have worked hard to pass on this tradition from generation to generation. In 2011, Dragon Boat Water Parade in Tai O was inscribed onto the “National list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China”.

The 2023 Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade and Races is one of the best events to experience Hong Kong’s authentic fishing culture, dragon boat races as well as Tai O’s old heritage and their Chinese stilt house community. After the impact of pandemic for the last three years, public once again can enjoy this tradition together with Tai O villagers.

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What is Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade?

Tai O Fishing Village is one of the few remaining fishing villages in Hong Kong. Located on Lantau Island, it is famous for its traditional Chinese stilt-house community and is considered as “Venice of the Orient”.

Dragon Boat Festival, sometimes known as Tuen Ng Festival (in Cantonese) or Duan Wu Festival (in Mandarin), is a 4000-year Chinese lunar festival and falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Every year during Tuen Ng Festival, the whole village will hold a special and very traditional dragon boat ritual and races, called “Dragon Boat Water Parade” or “Dragon Boat Gods Parade”.

Unlike the dragon boat races in other districts, Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade is more of a religious event praying for the safety on land and at sea.

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Legend of Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade

Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade can be traced back to over 100 years ago when the small fishing village was attacked by a serious plague. It lasted for a while and lots of villagers were killed. The residents proposed to invite the gods from temples on dragon boats, sailing around the village, hoping that they could drive out the plague and bring good luck.

Since then, this small village has kept this tradition till now. This over 100-year traditional “Water Parade” ritual is one of the largest four cultural events in Hong Kong and was inscribed onto the “China’s National list of Intangible Cultural Heritage” in 2011.

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When is 2023 Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade?

Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade is on the 4th and the 5th days of the fifth lunar month every year. The 5th day of the fifth lunar month is also the traditional Dragon Boat Festival. In Hong Kong, there will be lots of ways to celebrate this traditional festival.

For 2023, the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade will be on the 21st and 22nd of June 2023. The fishing village will turn crowded with visitors and get decorated with colorful flags everywhere.

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Rituals of Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade

The process of Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade is separated into two days. The first day will be picking up the gods from temples. The second day will be Gods Parade and returning gods back to temples. Every year, Tai O’s three fishermen associations (Pa Teng Hong, Sin Yu Hong and Hop Sum Tong) co-jointly organize this tradition.

Picking the Greens and Drinking Dragon ceremonies

Not every dragon boat can tow the sacred boat with deity statue. It has to go through a special ritual first. First of all, the members of Pa Teng Hong will choose two unmarried young males to pick some fresh grass from the empty space behind Yeung Hau Temple. This ritual is called “Picking the Greens”. The fresh grass will be put in the dragon’s mouth to bestow a liveliness to the dragon.

Then the residents use a ceremony called “Drinking Dragon” to cast out evil spirits and awaken the dragon. The blood from a live rooster will be mixed with wine and sprinkled from the head to the tail of the dragon.

Picking Up (Inviting) the Gods

When everything’s ready, the members of the three associations will travel with their boats towed by dragon boats to the four temples to invite the deity statues out onto the boats. Boats will then send to and place the statues at the temporary ceremony shed.

The deity statues are picked in the order from Yeung Hau Temple (Marquis Prince), San Tsuen Tin Hau Temple (Empress of Heaven), Kwan Tai Temple (God of War) and then Hung Shing Temple (God of the Sea).

The Hop Sum Tong and Sin Yu Hong hold the ceremony one day before the Dragon Boat Festival (this year is on 21st of June 2023) while Pa Teng Hong will invite the gods in the morning of Dragon Boat Festival (22nd of June 2023).

Dragon Boat Water Parade on the day of Dragon Boat Festival – Deities Parade or Gods Parade (Highlight for visitors)

On the day of Dragon Boat Festival, the deity statues will be loaded on small sacred boats. These boats are towed by three dragon boats and travel through various water channels of Tai O, which also known as Deities Parade or Gods Parade.

Pa Teng Hong will lead the parade as they have the longest history among the three associations, followed by Sin Yu Hong and Hap Sam Tong. The parade starts from Yeung Hau Temple, along the waterway to San Tsuen Tin Hau Temple and then sail back to Kwan Tai Temple.

During the ritual, people on the sacred boats will perform Fa Yi (burning joss paper and sprinkling soaked rice to the water) to ask for blessing of the deities and to pacify the wandering water ghosts. While the dragon boats pass by the stilt-houses, the residents will join this event as well, praying, burning joss paper and incense.

Dragon Boat Races

After the parade, the three dragon boats towing the sacred boats will have a friendly race to calm the gods.

Then Tai O will have also the modern dragon boat races to celebrate Tuen Ng Festival and entertain visitors. This year (2023) it will be 300-meter race course and compete with standard dragon boats.

Returning the Deity Statues

In the afternoon, the deities’ statues will be taken back to their temples in the same order of picking-up.

Afterward, each association holds its own banquet to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. Usually, they will set up tables in the open area next to Kwan Tai Temple.

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How to get to Tai O?

Tai O is far away from the downtown area and on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island. The simplest and most economical way is either getting to Tung Chung Town Center and then transferring to New Lantao Bus No.11 or taking Bus No.21 from Ngong Ping. Blue taxis are also an option. Get step-by-step instruction of how to get to Tai O.

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Other important races on 2023 Tuen Ng Festival in town

Besides Tai O, Hong Kong will also have dragon boat races at various locations such as Stanley, Aberdeen, Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Cheung Chau to celebrate 2023 Dragon Boat Festival.

In case you miss the celebration of Dragon Boat Festival, there will also be the annual Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races at Dragon Boat Carnival on the 24th and 25th of June 2023.

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Other top attractions nearby Tai O

Lantau Island is a very popular tourist destination in Hong Kong. Besides Tai O, there are several other popular attractions on Lantau Island, such as Tian Tan Buddha, Ngong Ping Cable Car, Po Lin Monastery, Wisdom Path. You can easily spend a complete day on Lantau Island. Make sure to check out the insider guide and plan your time wisely.

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