Cheung Chau Bun Festival « May « Somewhere in the world today…

Lion dances, parades and fun with buns on Cheung Chau Island

When: April / May every year. 28th April 2012.
Where: Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong

Huge towers are constructed out of bamboo poles outside the Pak Tai temple, and covered with sweet white buns for a customary Chinese celebration that takes place on Cheung Chau Island, off the coast of Hong Kong.

The Bun Festival is to give thanks to the gods and appease the spirits of former islanders who died in a plague during the 19th century. It consists of a week of Taoist rituals, parades, lion dances and of course buns! The main event used to consist of a mad rush to climb the bun towers, dislodge the buns and throw them into the crowds below, however since an accident in 1978 this has been stopped and the buns are now distributed in a much calmer and somewhat safer manner!

When is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival?

Every year on the 8th day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, the islanders organise the weeklong event. The festival usually falls in April or May.

Food & Drink

During the festival the whole of the Island becomes vegetarian. Even the local McDonald’s takes meat off the menu!. The buns are a kind of sweet Chinese steamed bun.

Travel to Cheung Chau

Cheung Chau is an Island off the coast of Hong Kong. Fly to Hong Kong and take a ferry from Central Pier. Book flights and hotels with ebookers.com, or complete package holidays with Kuoni.

Traditional Chinese Pictures

These traditional Chinese pictures are hand cut out of very thin rice paper. They are often used to decorate entrances and windows during Chinese holidays and festivals and are considered good luck when given as presents for birthdays and weddings.

Set the sky alight with lanterns

Sky lanterns are used at many Chinese festivals and they are a lovely way to light up any celebration. Watch them float up into the sky. Lots of colours to choose from!