The "Tai Ping Ching Chiu" is part of Hong Kong traditional beliefs and customs.
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A large "Paang" temporary structure is erected. Outside the main structure
are small linked temporary structures for first-aid, the fire services, and the police.
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| Large temporary main structure |
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It happens for villagers who have emigrated to return to Hong Kong especially for the Tai Ping Ching Chiu celebration.
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Many other villagers in the area are also involved. They
offered their congratulations by having "Fa Paai" banners set up in the
festival site.
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| Fa Paai banners |
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Decorated out with many "Fa Paai" banners from the villagers and outsiders, the main structure had several partitions.
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On both sides of the central area of the "Paang" temporary structure
are rooms for each of the villages or groups of villages.
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| Inside large temporary main structure |
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At the entrance are two huge paper images of two armed gods, who served as
the supernatural guardians of the "Paang" temporary structure.
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| Guardian god |
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Beside them are two horses with attendants and a pair of lions. The stage is divided into three sections, all facing the entrance.
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The middle one is the Taoist altar where the priests performe many of their rites.
To the right is the altar for the ancestors. On the left side is the puppet stage, on
which plays are performed.
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| Taoist priests |
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Decorated with embroidery hangings, the Taoist altar has at its centre portraits of the Three Pure Ones and on extreme side the Heavenly Master and Taai-Yut Jan-Yan. There is a backroom to the altar, where the priests stay between rites.
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During "Tai Ping Ching Chiu" celebrations in the New Territories,
participants pay a subscription and have their names
included in a list put up in a major rite on the main day.
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| Ritual representatives |
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A "Tai Ping Ching Chiu" festival is very expensive. The cost can be a total of more than one million HK dollars. One exemple in year 1985 was that the opera costs 357 000 HKD, paper images 150 000 HKD, temporary structures 150 000 HKD, the puppet theatre 110 000 HKD. The opera is paid from the funds of lineage trust. Each of the villagers also pay a subscription and ritual representatives pay an additional extra.
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There is a "Fa Paai" presented by all the members of the village
in celebration of the ten-yearly "Tai Ping Ching Chiu".
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| Tai Ping Ching Chiu |
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Another example in year 1990 about 2 000 000 HKD were spent of which 260 000 HKD was used for the construction of temporary structures, 150 000 HKD for the engagement of Taoist priests and 460 000 HKD was paid to the opera troupe.
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Many other villagers are paying a formal visit to the site on the main
day with their lion and dragon dances.
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| Lion dance |
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The highlight is a procession that marks out the territory of the lineage and acknowledges political allies in neighboring districts.
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Two lions dance and participate in the procession on the
main day of celebration.
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| Lion dance |
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Tai Ping Ching Chiu festivals also face a revival of the traditional religious activities in southern China. Such festivals were prohibited after year 1949.
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The Procession of Incense took has to visit all the temples, shrines
and major ancestral halls to worship the gods and important ancestors.
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| Dragon dance |
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Marchers halt along the route to pay their respect at temples and earth-god shrines.
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The procession includes flags, lion and dragon dance groups and percussion teams
playing drum and gong.
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| Procession of incense |
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After visiting the temples, shrines and major ancestral halls, the procession
goes back to the festival site.
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| Procession of incense |
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Click to see more pictures |
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