Episode 171 - Bun Festival - tradition and change

This is a training ground for the Bun Snatching participants. As you can see from the photo, people were climbing up to the top of a tower.

The Bun Festival is an important event in Cheung Chau. It is associated with the religious tradition of the Pak Tai Temple. In the past, three bamboo bun towers - the towers were covered with edible buns and were commonly known as the Buns Mountains - would be erected in the front of the Pak Tai Temple. On the festival night, young people climbed up the towers to snatch the buns and took them home. It was said that the buns could bring good fortune to the family.

The traditional Bun Snatching event was abolished following a serious accident in the 1970's. One of the bun mountain collapsed that night and many people were injured.

The event has been rejuvenated recently - this time as a festival and a sport event which provides an excellent opportunity for the climbers to test their skills. On the festival night, the bamboo (reinforced by steel) tower will be covered with plastic buns (instead of the traditional edible buns). A participant is required to take down as much buns as he / she can. As the buns at the top of the tower carry the highest marks, the participants will try to climb to the top to snatch the buns there.