HONG KONG, CHINA -- 18 September,2018 - The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of Hong Kong's most celebrated festivals, is fast approaching on 24 September (the 15th day of the 8th month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar). Said to have evolved from a moon-worshipping ceremony ahead of the autumn harvest, the festival provides a peek inside Hong Kong's long-held traditions.

 

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance (23 -- 25 September 2018)

 

Paying tribute to the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations of old, Tai Hang residents gather to take part in the three-day Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, which was inscribed on China's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011.

 

Today, the experience promises an explosion of drums, gongs and incense, as nearly 300 trained participants carry a 67-metre dragon covered in glowing joss sticks through the streets. The first thing you'll notice as the dragon flies by is its 70-kilogramme head, made of sheet metal, straw and rattan, with two electric torches for eyes -- that's a face you'll never forget!

 

Mooncakes

 

Mooncakes are one of the most popular elements of Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn Festival, and for good reason. Baked in intricate moulds featuring auspicious Chinese blessings, mooncakes are traditionally filled with lotus seed paste and two egg yolks, but over time, Hong Kong has welcomed many innovative iterations, such as chocolate, durian, kumquat, matcha, egg custard and red bean, to name just a few.

 

"Moon Rabbit Lumiere" installation (19 September -- 17 October 2018)

 

For the first time in Hong Kong, Australian artist Amanda Parer's larger-than-life "Moon Rabbits" will hop through town. The "Moon Rabbit Lumiere" art installation will take place on Lee Tung Avenue in Wan Chai and at the China Hong Kong City in Tsim Sha Tsui. Both venues will showcase 10 illuminated "Moon Rabbits", as well as a series of celebratory events, workshops, picnics and fairs throughout the month-long exhibitions. 

 

Caption: (left) The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance will take place on 23 to 25 September 2018, and (right) Australian artist Amanda Parer's "Moon Rabbit Lumiere" installation.

 

For more information about Hong Kong and the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival festivities, please visit  the Hong Kong Tourism Board at http://www.discoverhongkong.com. (*).