1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,530 [MUSIC PLAYING] 2 00:00:01,530 --> 00:00:03,350 SPEAKER: Every year for a whole week, 3 00:00:03,350 --> 00:00:06,420 Cheung Chau lights up with festivities as everyone gathers 4 00:00:06,420 --> 00:00:08,187 for the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. 5 00:00:08,187 --> 00:00:09,895 But what is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival? 6 00:00:09,895 --> 00:00:13,570 [MUSIC PLAYING] 7 00:00:13,570 --> 00:00:15,160 It all started with the plague that 8 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,610 devastated Cheung Chau in the late Qing dynasty. 9 00:00:18,610 --> 00:00:21,340 But believing it to be the work of evil spirits, 10 00:00:21,340 --> 00:00:24,160 the islanders built an altar and paraded statues 11 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,430 of their deities through the village to pray for protection. 12 00:00:27,430 --> 00:00:29,590 After performing the Taoist rituals, 13 00:00:29,590 --> 00:00:31,950 the plague miraculously left the island. 14 00:00:31,950 --> 00:00:33,790 And a 100 years later, the rituals 15 00:00:33,790 --> 00:00:36,100 are still being performed. 16 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:37,900 Today, the festival is a celebration 17 00:00:37,900 --> 00:00:39,610 that has two main events-- 18 00:00:39,610 --> 00:00:43,060 the Floating Colours Parade and the Bun Scrambling Competition. 19 00:00:43,060 --> 00:00:45,190 The Floating Colors Parade is a re-enactment 20 00:00:45,190 --> 00:00:47,800 of the one, that was held a century ago to drive away 21 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,180 the plague. 22 00:00:49,180 --> 00:00:52,330 But instead of statues, children dress up as gods, or even 23 00:00:52,330 --> 00:00:54,520 celebrities, and are balanced on poles, 24 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,650 while they are paraded down the street, accompanied 25 00:00:56,650 --> 00:00:59,840 by lion dancers and gongs. 26 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,520 And the highlight of the festival happens at nightfall. 27 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,710 Participants of the Bun Scrambling Competition 28 00:01:05,710 --> 00:01:08,800 climb up a tower of buns, grabbing as many as possible. 29 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,530 The higher the buns, the more the points. 30 00:01:12,530 --> 00:01:14,530 If you're interested, you can get to Cheung Chau 31 00:01:14,530 --> 00:01:16,640 from the Central Pier 5. 32 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:17,830 We hope to see you there. 33 00:01:17,830 --> 00:01:21,180 [MUSIC PLAYING]