One of Hong Kong’s most iconic celebrations during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Tai Hang Fire Dance, will once again be held in the neighbourhood where the tradition began. The dance, which has been performed for more than 140 years, will take place in Tai Hang on September 16-18, 2024, from 7:30pm-10pm, as well as at Victoria Park on September 17 from 11-11:30pm.
While there are other fire dragon dances held in the city, the one in Tai Hang is the most well-known. Residents in the area build a 67-metre-long dragon out of 72,000 joss sticks, which is paraded through the neighbourhood for three nights during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The head of the dragon itself weights 45kg, and 8–10 people usually take turns holding it to stage the dance.
Before the parade starts, there is an eye-dotting ceremony at the historic Lin Ka Fung Temple, after which the procession begins on Sun Chun Street and makes its way through the various streets that criss-cross Tai Hang. The best place to get a good view of the proceedings is at the intersection of Shepherd Street and Wun Sha Street. The procession comprises 300 dancers, who are recruited and trained months in advance for the festivities to perform tricks and dragon dance patterns. This year, more than 100 children will hold lanterns and walk in front of the dragon as part of the event.
The dance is said to have first been held in 1880 when the villagers of Tai Hang built a fire dragon with incense sticks and set off firecrackers in a bid to end a plague. In 2011, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance was included in the third national list of intangible cultural heritage, along with the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade, and the Yu Lan Ghost Festival of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow community.
Image credits: Hong Kong Tourism Board
