2012 June: Dragon Boat Festival (Hong Kong)

During the annual Dragon Boat Festival, three fishermen associations in Tai O, the tranquil fishing village in west Lantau, organise a religious activity known as a "Deities Parade". On the morning before the Dragon Boat Festival, members of the associations row their dragon boats to visit four temples, Yeung Hau, San Tsuen Tin Hau, Kwan Tai and Hung Shing, and carry the deity statues to their associations' hall for worship.
On the day of the Festival, the deity statues are put on sacred sampans towed by the dragon boats of the associations to parade through Tai O waters and to pacify the wandering water ghosts.
Residents of the stilt houses along the water-courses burn paper offerings as the dragon boats pass by. The deity statues are then returned to the respective temples after the ritual. Visiting Tai O on Tuen Ng Festival is an excellent timing to see the stilt house and waterways of this old fishing village for which this old fishing village famed for.
The Deities' Parade had been inscribed on to China's third national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2011 

大澳端午遊涌

每年端午節，大澳三個傳統漁業行會，即扒艇行、鮮魚行和合心堂，均舉辦傳統「龍舟遊神」宗教活動。三個行會成員於農曆五月初四早上，順序前往楊侯古廟、新村天后廟、關帝廟、洪聖廟請出四間廟宇的小神像，接返各行會供奉祭祀。在農曆五月初五端午節早上，進行遊神活動，三個行會的龍舟皆拖著載有神像的小艇（稱為神艇），在大澳棚屋之間的水道巡遊，沿途化衣祭幽，兩岸棚屋居民亦焚香拜祭。儀式活動過後，會把小神像送返各廟宇。這項頗富宗教色彩的端午祭祀活動己傳承了超過一百年，是展示大澳最具特色的景致-水道與棚屋-的好時機。2011年，大澳端午遊涌更被列入第三批國家級非物質文化遺產名錄。

日期∶ 2012年6月23日(星期六)
時間∶ 上午8:00至下午3:00
地點∶ 大嶼山大澳
前往方法∶ 港鐵東涌站B出口，於東涌市中心轉乘11線巴士前往；或於中環6號碼頭（港鐵香港站E1出口，穿過國際金融中心商場），乘渡輪往大嶼山梅窩，然後乘1線巴士於總站下車。

When: 23 June(sat) 0800-1500
Where: Tai O (Lantau, HongKong)

How: MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take New Lantao bus No.11 to Tai O. Or take ferry from Central Pier 6 (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E1, walk through ifc mall) in Central to Mui Wo. Then take New Lantao Bus No.1 to Tai O.

W: http://www.tai-o.hk/

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