The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, a recognized Hong Kong National Intangible Cultural Heritage, will be performed for three consecutive nights from Sunday (Oct 5) evening to next Tuesday (Oct 7) to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The 67-meter-long fire dragon, primarily wrapped in chamberbitter weeds, has been completed and transported to Lin Fa Kung for the eye-dotting ceremony as preparations reached the final stage this afternoon at the Tai Hang Residents' Welfare Association.
Over 10,000 incense sticks have been lit and inserted onto the dragon following the ceremony, and more than 300 performers paraded the majestic dragon through the grid-like streets starting around 8pm.
As for the night falling on the Mid-Autumn Festival on Monday (Oct 6), the fire dragon will be paraded into Victoria Park.
A small dragon with LED lights was also danced by children, while crowd control barriers and related signage were set up in the surrounding streets of Tai Hang.
The troupe commander of Fire Dragon Dance, Cheung Kwok-ho, stated that in case of rain, the fire dragon dance will proceed after the rain stops to ensure safety.
Cheung explained that rain would extinguish the incense sticks, diminishing the performance's effect. However, he estimated no rain on Sunday night, drawing on over 40 years of experience.
He also expected tens of thousands of visitors to attend the performances, noting a recent increase in mainland Chinese and international tourists due to enhanced promotion.
Additionally, Cheung highlighted that more than 10 non-Chinese children will join the event for the first time, performing jazz and Taekwondo dances. He added that their participation will help them integrate with traditional Chinese cultural activities.
Originating over 140 years ago, the Fire Dragon Dance emerged as Tai Hang grappled with the hardships of plague within its farming and fishing communities. In an inspirational dream, a village elder was instructed to create a dragon adorned with smoldering incense sticks and parade it through the streets to save the village.
(Updated at 9.23pm)
