TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Cheung Chau Bun Festival in Hong Kong was enthusiastically celebrated. The peak of the annual festival was held over two days on May 5 and 6, 2025, on Cheung Chau Island. Visitors flocked to the island to experience the vibrant atmosphere.
The celebration began with a parade of children in costumes, known as "Piu Sik," meaning "float colors," on May 5, 2025. Children wearing costumes of legendary gods or historical figures were carried on a stage above the crowd, and they strolled the island's narrow streets, as reported by The Standard HK.
The highlight was the Monday midnight bun-snatching event. Participants from the Cheng Chau residents and the rock climbing club members were required to climb a tower covered with plastic buns. Whoever managed to get the most valuable bun was declared as winner. The higher, the more valuable the bun.
The competition was suspended for decades after an accident in 1978 when the bamboo bun tower collapsed, causing injuries. This tradition was resumed in 2005 with a metal tower.
Cheng Chau Bun Festival. (cheung-chau.com)
History of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Festival is sometimes known as the "Da Jiu" festival. Its origins date back to when the island was hit by a deadly disease outbreak at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The residents followed the local Taoist tradition to seek the gods' blessing and offered steamed white buns to drive away evil spirits.
After the epidemic subsided, as an expression of gratitude, the islanders continued the ritual, and it evolved into the grand festival it is today. Currently, the island's residents and visitors eat the steamed white buns as part of the celebration. These buns are called "Ping On Bao" in Cantonese, meaning "peace buns," and are stamped with two red Chinese characters meaning "peace" and "safety."
In 2011, this unique local festival was listed as the third national intangible cultural heritage, as reported by Time Out. The Cheung Chau Bun Festival takes place on the eighth day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar, coinciding with the celebration of Buddha's Birthday in Hong Kong.
The festival activities last for four days, but only on the third day, there is a parade, a public holiday, and the island is visited to witness the festival. On the first two days and the morning of the third day, only vegetarian food is consumed. On the fourth day, there are still some activities, but mostly involving the local community.
Most residents and other visitors prefer to visit on the third day to see the parade. However, on the first and second day, they can also visit to enjoy traditional vegetarian food, see the bun tower, and various dragon dances and opera performances held around the Pak Tai Temple.
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