Blessings in a bun: 20,000 blessed buns distributed to residents to usher good fortune

As the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival reached its climax with the high-stakes bun scrambling competition on Monday, the organizing committee moved to the next phase of the tradition by distributing 20,000 "blessed buns" to local residents.

According to long-standing local belief, these steamed buns—which are blessed and prayed over during the festival—serve as spiritual talismans that protect the community from misfortune and disasters.

Over a hundred residents arrived at the playground outside the Pak Tai Temple this morning, with many showing up early with chairs and umbrellas to queue up and bring good fortune home. 

Similar to previous years, the Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee handed out about 20,000 blessed buns, with each resident receiving two bags of four buns. 

The three bun towers outside the temple continued to be a highlight of the festival, but they have now shrunk from 45 to 15 feet since 2023 after the contractor pulled out. 

However, committee chairman Yung Chi-ming stressed that the skills have not been lost yet, attributing the reduction to safety concerns, as the construction requires digging holes and inserting bamboo poles. 

He added that local youths are studying whether a 45-foot tower can return next year but anticipated challenges ahead. 

Among the queuing residents was a long-time local, who said, "I usually buy them elsewhere, but now I thought it would be fun to try queuing for good luck." 

Another first-timer, a 90-year-old resident surnamed Wong, said she felt encouraged to take a bun as she passed by the temple for worship.

The desire for peace and safety is not limited to the elderly, as another resident, Lai, also visited to collect a bun for a friend  to put at his company.

“It's believed that if the bun doesn't grow moldy after a year, it brings peace and safety,” Lai explained. 

Similarly, another resident named Chan viewed the practice as a vital traditional custom, noting he would place extra buns outside his door to protect his family.

For some, the reason for taking a bun is mainly for the taste. 

The committee members also walked through Cheung Chau, handing out buns along the route from Pak She Street to the ferry pier, spreading  blessings to residents along the way.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓