Chinese Carnival:
Inheriting a Century, Ever New
Opening the website of the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the headline features the event preview for the 2014 Cheung Chau Tai Ping Qing Jiao's main event, the "Bao Shan Carnival". Cheung Chau, a small island located in the southwestern waters of Hong Kong Island, covering an area of about 3 square kilometers, is serene and has a simple folk culture. Every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, it comes alive due to the Tai Ping Qing Jiao. "Jiao" means to offer sacrifices. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, an epidemic was rampant in Cheung Chau, and the residents set up altars to pray for divine protection, which eventually led to the end of the epidemic. Back then, three altars filled with peace buns were built in front of the North Deity Temple on the island, as residents believed these buns could ensure family safety. Thus, after the "Jiao" period, each clan would send people to grab buns, gradually evolving into the current "Bao Shan" competition, which has become the climax of the Cheung Chau Tai Ping Qing Jiao, hence the name "Bao Shan Festival". During the festival, the island is filled with the sounds of dragon and lion dances, and the "Bao Shan" competition and colorful parades attract tens of thousands of locals and tourists, creating a lively atmosphere that surpasses the Lunar New Year celebrations. It was even selected by Time Magazine's website as one of the "Top Ten Weird Festivals in the World"!
In 2011, the Cheung Chau Tai Ping Qing Jiao was included in the third batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list. Along with it, other Hong Kong "intangible heritage" projects such as the Tai O Dragon Boat Festival, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Chaozhou Yulan Shenghui during the Ghost Festival were also listed. These events, with a history of over a century, originated from the desire to dispel disasters and pray for peace, coexisting harmoniously with various imported Western festivals in this international metropolis, becoming the best testament to the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures in Hong Kong.
During the Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong, in addition to watching the grand international dragon boat races in Victoria Harbour, one can also visit Tai O on Lantau Island to see the unique dragon boat activities—"Yau Chung". Every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the villagers of Tai O row dragon boats, dragging a small boat carrying a deity statue, known as the "Shen Ting", to parade through the waterways while burning incense along the way. Residents of the stilt houses worship the dragon boats, praying for family safety and the dispelling of diseases. After the Yau Chung ceremony, the dragon boat races showcase strength and beauty.
To watch the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, there is no need to travel to the outlying islands, as Tai Hang Village is located near the bustling Causeway Bay commercial area. For three consecutive nights around the Mid-Autumn Festival, amidst the sounds of gongs and drums, a 67-meter-long fire dragon, adorned with over ten thousand incense sticks, dances in the hands of 300 people, filling the usually quiet alleys with fragrant smoke and flickering lights, bursting with vitality!
The Chaozhou Yulan Shenghui during the Ghost Festival in Hong Kong is a continuation of the cultural customs of the Chaozhou people. Over the years, it has lost its eerie connotation of "Ghost Festival". Currently, there are over 1.2 million Chaozhou people in Hong Kong, and their Yulan Shenghui, which starts on the first day of the seventh lunar month and lasts until the end of July, includes activities such as sacrifices, burning paper money, distributing peace rice, bidding for auspicious items, and performances of traditional operas.
Cantonese Opera and Herbal Tea:
Ancient Melodies and Medicinal Fragrance
On the national intangible cultural heritage list, there are also two projects jointly declared by Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau—Cantonese Opera and Herbal Tea. Cantonese Opera, which was jointly declared by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, has been included in the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Unlike the lively celebrations of the Chinese Carnival, Cantonese Opera and Herbal Tea embellish this concrete jungle with their ancient charm and unique appeal.
"Fallen flowers obscure the moonlight, borrowing a cup to toast on the Phoenix Terrace...", in Hong Kong, whether they are film stars or pop singers, whether they are elderly or young children, everyone can recite a few lines from the famous aria in the Cantonese Opera "The Flower Princess". Renowned Cantonese opera performers like Law Kar-ying have also crossed over to become household names. Over the years, Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong has developed its own characteristics and brilliance, with a rich audience. In old theaters, large opera stages, bustling temple fairs, and on television screens, classic performances and arias are staged, embodying the bittersweet experiences and the joys and sorrows that are an indelible collective memory for the people of Hong Kong.
Like all traditional cultures, Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong also faces the impact of popular culture, but overall, its survival status is good. In addition to a strong grassroots foundation, the efforts made by the Hong Kong SAR government in preserving, promoting, and developing Cantonese Opera after the handover have also played a significant role. Especially after the successful "heritage application", the government has increased its support, focusing on creating a cultural ecology conducive to the development of Cantonese Opera. The Home Affairs Bureau has repeatedly applied to the Legislative Council for funding to build dedicated venues for Cantonese Opera and has supported various arts education, community promotion, and audience development programs.
To ensure that the Cantonese Opera, known as the "Southern Red Bean", has successors, various sectors of Hong Kong society have also put in considerable effort. The Chinese Education Research Centre of the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong launched the "Cantonese Opera Seedling" program to guide students in understanding and appreciating Cantonese Opera culture. The Hong Kong Museum of Culture in Sha Tin has set up a "Cantonese Opera Museum", housing over 23,000 Cantonese opera artifacts; it has also specially constructed an opera stage, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the charm of Cantonese Opera.
A genuine love for Cantonese Opera represents the artistic taste of the people of Hong Kong. Their unwavering affection for herbal tea reflects the wisdom of Hong Kong people's daily lives. Whenever they feel a cold coming on, have a sore throat, or develop acne, Hong Kong people will go to a herbal tea shop for a cup of herbal tea. Herbal tea is not tea; it is a collective term for a series of traditional Chinese medicinal health drinks, commonly known for their heat-clearing and damp-dispelling effects in the humid climate of Hong Kong. In the 1960s and 1970s, most herbal tea shops in Hong Kong had jukeboxes and televisions, becoming places for locals to relax. Although the density of herbal tea shops has significantly decreased today, herbal tea remains an indispensable part of Hong Kong people's lives. The two old herbal tea shops in Central, "Chun Hui Tang" and "Gong Li Zhen Liao Zhu Zhe Shui", continue to thrive, while convenience-seeking young people prefer to buy bottled herbal tea from supermarkets or convenience stores for easy access at any time.
Inventory of Intangible Heritage:
Clarifying Assets and Focusing Support
In the small territory of Hong Kong, how many items can be considered intangible cultural heritage? In August 2009, the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department commissioned the South China Research Centre of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to conduct a territory-wide inventory of intangible cultural heritage. The inventory team extensively researched and conducted field studies on over 700 local intangible cultural heritage cases, and based on the results and professional opinions, submitted a proposed list in June 2013, which included five major categories and 477 items. The Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department then launched a public consultation on this list. After the consultation, the authorities will compile Hong Kong's first intangible cultural heritage list, incorporating the opinions of the professional committee.
Hakka mountain songs, dragon and lion dances, riddles, spring and autumn sacrifices, lantern lighting, and盆菜... the items in the Hong Kong intangible heritage inventory are quite extensive, covering various aspects of daily life for the people of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government hopes to clarify its assets through the inventory and list compilation to strengthen the promotion, preservation, and transmission of intangible cultural heritage. The list can also provide a reference for the government to focus support on intangible heritage items of high importance and those at risk of extinction.
"A metropolis, a small place, with people coming from all directions," described by the Secretary for Home Affairs of the Hong Kong SAR, Tsang Tak-sing. He stated that after the inventory is completed, everyone will be amazed at how this city can preserve such a rich intangible cultural heritage. However, many inheritors of intangible heritage projects have aged, raising concerns about the potential loss of these projects. Liao Dixin, the director of the South China Research Centre at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who invested significant effort into the inventory, is very worried. The inventory team believes that it is necessary to create a social and cultural environment that appreciates and accepts traditional skills, changing the perception that "tradition" equates to "backwardness". Compiling the list is just the first step; Hong Kong still has a long way to go in intangible heritage protection.
