"Fun in ICH" Series – 2023

Talk with Demonstration of Huichun — Festivals, Customs and Art (Live Streaming)

Huichun, also known as chuntie or chuntiao, are a traditional form of decoration used in Guangdong during the Chinese New Year. Huichun are not only posted up to celebrate the New Year, but also to seek good lucks and ward off evil spirits. The layout, content and style of calligraphy of huichun are associated with the Chinese literature and the art of calligraphy. This talk introduces the custom and origin of huichun and provides a glimpse of the characteristics from the perspectives of language and calligraphy. Different types of layout as well as the content and calligraphy of huichun are also demonstrated. Audiences will learn to appreciate huichun from a comprehensive perspective.

Writing Your Own Huichun Workshop

Unlike some types of printed huichun products, huichun in atraditional handwritten calligraphy style are still beloved by all those who appreciate their rich diversity and aesthetic value. This workshop briefly introduces the origin, layout and content of huichun with a demonstration and time for self-practice. Participants will be able to gain a better understanding of this tradition and an intangible cultural heritage (ICH) item of Hong Kong, and also try their hand at writing messages for loved ones for the coming Chinese New Year.

Celebrating the Chinese New Year with Huichun

The practice of posting up huichun takes place during the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. It is also one of the local ICH items. People write down their New Year wishes on red paper using ink or gold-coloured paint and post them up at home or their workplace for blessings. Inspired by the street booths selling handwritten huichun in some of the old districts of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre will set up a huichun booth to share New Year blessings with visitors and help promote this precious ICH item. 

Talk on "Traditional Calendar: The Compiling of Tung Shing and the Selection of Auspicious Dates" (Hybrid Format)

In association with the Hong Kong Museum of History

The Traditional Calendar was formulated by ancient people through the observation of the seasons and astronomical phenomena to chart the years, months and days to guide agricultural activities. The Traditional Calendar is commonly known as Tung Shing (The Book of Everything) in the Guangdong area. Tung Shing is updated to serve the needs of modern society and still serves as an important reference for picking auspicious dates for various events. Ms Choi Hing-wah, renowned editor of Tung Shing, will give a talk about the work of compiling and publishing Tung Shing and its contents, and the selection of dates for important events. The participants will learn more about how to use Tung Shing.

Seal Carving Workshop

Seal carving is a traditional art form in China, comprising calligraphy, carving skills, graphic design and other techniques. It is also known as "zhuanke" in Chinese, as seal script is a commonly used calligraphy style in seal carving. A seal can be used as a name seal in our daily life, but it can also serve an artistic representation that embodies the interests and aspirations of artists and the literati. This workshop will introduce the history of the seal-carving industry in Hong Kong with a demonstration by a seal-carving master. Participants will design and carve their own seal in stone to enhance their understanding of this intangible cultural heritage item.

Workshop on Cing Ming Zai (Chinese Fevervine Sticky Rice Cake) Making

The Hakka people make various kinds of caa gwo (steamed sticky rice cake), depending on the season and occasion. Cing ming zai, also known as "Chinese fevervine sticky rice cake", is a traditional Hakka food, made from Chinese fevervine which is harvested around the Ching Ming Festival. It is a food offering to the ancestors during the Ching Ming Festival by the Hakka people, and it also serves a kind of food therapy. In this workshop, the participants will learn about the life wisdom of traditional village culture through hands-on experience in making this traditional food.

Date	22 April 2023 (Saturday)
Time	Session 1: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Session 2: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Venue	Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden (453 Yi Pei Chun, Lo Wai, Tsuen Wan, New Territories)
Speaker	Instructor of Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden

 

 

Family Workshop on Flower Board

Flower Boards are big installations usually seen on occasions like traditional festivals, new building inaugurations and shop openings. They are used to enhance the festive vibe, and to show respect from the senders. The family workshop will introduce the history, use and characteristics of flower boards. The participants will learn about the features of flower boards by making a collage of the components for a flower board and writing greetings on it.

 

 

Date	28 May 2023 (Sunday)
Time	10:30 am – 12:00 nn
Venue	Activity Room, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (located in Sam Tung Uk Museum)
Speaker	Master Choi Wing-kei (Veteran flower board craftsman)

 

 

Workshop on Miniature Flower Board Making

The flower board crafting technique is one of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items of Hong Kong, which prevailed in the 1950s to the 1980s. With the development of society, things like the materials and production of flower boards have evolved. In this workshop, the participants will get a better understanding of the history, evolution, materials and craftsmanship of flower boards and  experience making a miniature flower board.

 

 

Date	28 May 2023 (Sunday)
Time	1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Venue	Activity Room, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (located in Sam Tung Uk Museum)
Speaker	Master Choi Wing-kei (Veteran flower board craftsman) Master Chau Kai-ho (Flower board craftsman)

 

 

Workshop on the Flower Board Crafting Technique

The crafting procedure of a flower board is complicated. It involves crafting a structure with bamboo poles and wires, and assembling various different components, including decorative pieces in the shape of a dragon and phoenix, red cloth, foil paper flowers and text decoration. The craftsman also made them according to the requirements of their customers. This workshop will introduce the history, craftsmanship and materials of flower boards. The participants will make a flower board(s) together to experience this ICH of Hong Kong.

 

 

Date	28 May 2023 (Sunday)
Time	3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Venue	Activity Room, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (located in Sam Tung Uk Museum)
Speaker	Master Choi Wing-kei (Veteran flower board craftsman) Master Chau Kai-ho (Flower board craftsman)

 

 

Seal Carving Workshop – Pictorial Seal

Seals can be used for both practical and artistic purposes. Seal inscription can be presented in the form of text only, graphics only or both. Pictorial seals refer to seal inscriptions with graphics only. In this workshop, a seal carving veteran will introduce and demonstrate how to transform an image onto a seal and how to carve a pictorial seal. Participants will be given hands-on experience in carving on a seal stone to raise their interest in, and appreciation of, the seal carving technique.

 

 

Date	10 June 2023 (Saturday)
Time	Session 1: 11:00 am – 1:30 pm Session 2: 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Venue	Activity Room, Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (located in Sam Tung Uk Museum)
Speaker	Master Ng Kam-chun (Seal carving veteran)

 

 

Mini-sized Fire Dragon Head Crafting Workshop

"Mid-Autumn Festival - the Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Dance" is a century-old festive event. It has been inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong in 2017. On the 14th and 15th days of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, fire dragon dance is practised around Pok Fu Lam Village for peace and well-being. This does not only help social cohesion of the community but also attracted outsiders in recent years. In the workshop, participants will attempt to craft a fire dragon head in miniature and learn more about the history and rituals of fire dragon dance of the village, and the crafting skills.

 

 

Date	27 August 2023 (Sunday)
Time	2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue	Pok Fu Lam Village Kai Fong Welfare Association (No. 15A, Pok Fu Lam Village, Pok Fu Lam, Southern District, Hong Kong)
Speaker	Mr Siu Kwan-lun (Director of Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Association)

 

 

Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Crafting Workshop

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, villagers of Pok Fu Lam Village work together to craft fire dragons in various dimensions. The fire dragon parade will tour around the village on the 14th and 15th days of the 8th month of the lunar calendar and practices of a series of rituals are not less. In the workshop, participants will work together to tie up dried hays to the fire dragon framework with metal wires. Participants will learn more about this local ICH item through the hands-on experience in fire dragon making.

 

 

Date	10 September 2023 (Sunday)
Time	2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue	Pok Fu Lam Village Kai Fong Welfare Association (No. 15A, Pok Fu Lam Village, Pok Fu Lam, Southern District, Hong Kong)
Speaker	Mr Siu Kwan-lun (Director of Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Association)

 

 

Workshop of Cantonese Opera Headdress Crafting

Sophisticated costumes and glittering accessories create effective stage personas. The variety and intricacy of Cantonese opera headdresses is a testimony to the versatility of local traditional craftsmanship. This workshop will briefly introduce the designs and uses of Cantonese opera headdress. Participants will make funs with hands-on experience of making headdresses. They may visit the "Guangdong Drama: The Development of Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong" exhibition currently on display in the Hong Kong Central Library en route to enrich their understanding of this world-class intangible cultural heritage item.

 

 

Date	11 November 2023 (Saturday)
Time	3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue	Activity Room 2, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library (66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong)
Instructor	Master Chow Yin-wan (Veteran craftsman of Cantonese opera headdresses)

 

 

Learning Chinese Medicine in the Countryside

Away from the concrete jungle, Hong Kong's countryside is like a natural Chinese medicinal herbal garden with plants growing that have therapeutic effects. Traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine is closely related to our daily lives, and carries folk wisdom and culture. Participants of these hiking activities will be led by experienced instructors of Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden to explore and identify seasonal Chinese medicinal herbs in Chuen Lung, Tsuen Wan and at the Peak, and get to know the medicinal application and therapeutic effects.

 

 

Route	(1) Chuen Lung, Tsuen Wan	(2) Victoria Peak
	Chuen Lung Village → Yuen Yuen Institute, Lo Wai (about 3.2km)	Lugard Road → Harlech Road → Lugard Road (about 3.7km)
Date	9 December 2023 (Saturday)	16 December 2023 (Saturday)
Activity Time	9:30 am – 1:30 pm (around 4 hours)
Guide	Instructors of Jockey Club Lo Wai Chinese Herb Garden