Feng Shui & Traditional Festivals

Feng Shui, the ancient practice of aligning buildings and objects to attract good luck and ward off misfortune, still plays a big part in Hong Kong life. It is seen not only in the city's major buildings, like the HSBC building in Central has a high, hollow atrium to invite good energy, but also in daily activities. Many head to Taoist temple Wong Tai Sin temple to pick up lucky amulets, to the Che Kung Temple to spin the wheel of fortune three times for good luck.

Locals pay their respects to dragons – symbols of strength and good luck in Chinese culture – at traditional festivals, including the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, which takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival. There’s also a heritage centre in Tai Hang that explains the legend of the fire dragon. Dragon and lion dances are also held all over Hong Kong during Chinese New Year to bring good luck, with performances accompanied by drums and firecrackers to scare away evil spirits.

Another unique Hong Kong celebration is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, which takes place on the island of the same name in early May and sees bun gatherers clambering up three 60m tall bamboo towers to gather as many white Chinese buns as they can. The buns are later distributed to villagers after a paper effigy of the King of Ghosts is set ablaze just before midnight. There is also a parade with a children’s float and the opportunity to get involved in this fun festival with the locals.