"Fun in ICH" Series – 2019

Fringe Activities of "The Oral Legacies Series II: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong" Exhibition

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Organised by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office

 

 

Hakka Unicorn Colouring Workshop

(Muse Fest Special Activity Series)

 

The mythical Chinese unicorn, qilin, is considered an auspicious animal for the Hakka people. At large-scale celebrations for traditional festivals, weddings and birthdays, they would perform the unicorn dance to ward off evil and pray for good fortune. The movements, patterns and colour co-ordination reflect its moods and temperaments. In this workshop, participants will learn how to colour 3-dimensional unicorn models and understand more about the unique forms, colours and cultural implications of the traditional Hakka unicorn.

 

 

 

Paper Hakka Unicorn Model Making Workshop

(Muse Fest Special Activity Series) 

 

The unicorn is traditionally considered as an auspicious animal by the Hakka people, and that it can ward off evil and bring good luck. Ever since the Hakka people settled in Hong Kong, the Hakka unicorn dance has merged with local traditional music and martial arts to take on new forms, footwork and sequences of movements with local characteristics. As a living heritage, it has been passed down from generation to generation for 200 years. The legendary unicorn features various animal characteristics such as the dragon head and the body of a deer, with a single horn on its head and colourful scales on its body. In this workshop, Hong Kong illustrator Mr. Leung Ka Chun will guide participants to make paper models of the unicorn so as to appreciate traditional Hakka culture.

 

 

 

Cantonese Opera Headdresses Workshop

Whether it is a high-born lady, a daughter of a wealthy family, or a poverty-stricken woman, the dan (female) role in Chinese traditional theatre attaches great importance to headdresses. The "head" and the "face", Cantonese opera terms referring to head and hair adornments for the dan role, are of great importance in crafting the persona of the character. Cantonese opera headdresses are varied and intricate, crafted ingeniously with basic materials such as lurex and sequins that add glitter and glamour to the stage personas of the performers - a testimony to the folk wisdom of Hong Kong traditional handicrafts. In this workshop, veteran craftsman of Cantonese opera headdresses, Master Chow Yin Wan, will guide participants in their hands-on experience of making headdresses and the joy it brings.

 

 

 

Field Visit: Yu Lan Cultural Tradition

Every year during the seventh lunar month, communities in Hong Kong will organise various activities to tie in with Yu Lan Festival. Through various rites and rituals, offerings are made to ancestors, and alms are given to the homeless spirits, manifesting the Chinese traditional values of filial piety and the spirit of giving. The Chiu Chow ethnic group in Hong Kong is particularly keen on upholding the Chaozhou and Shantou folk customs. In 2011, the Yu Lan Festival was inscribed onto the third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

 

On this site visit of the Yu Lan Festival of Tung Tau Estate in Wong Tai Sin, participants will be given the opportunity to study the layout of the grounds, the orientation of the bamboo sheds, the meticulous observation of sequential order of offerings on the altars etc. The participants will learn how the various make-shift bamboo structures are built in specific spots to facilitate interaction with the various rituals, from the theatre to the prayer altar, deity altar, and the rice shed. Behind such arrangements is the compassion and caring for the needy both in the mortal world and the netherworld.

 

 

 

Cantonese Opera Costumes Experience Workshop

There is an adage in Cantonese Opera about the importance of donning the right costumes: "Better torn than wrong". Glamourous, colourful and rich in variety, Cantonese Opera costumes are donned with strict rules, down to the last ornament. Actors would match the headdress, helmet and footwear according to the plot and characterisation. Participants of this workshop will learn the basics of donning opera costumes and have a brief idea on the daily operations of the wardrobe department in a troupe. With the assistance of the instructor, they will have the opportunity to dress up like the performers in Cantonese Opera, and enjoy the unique, hands-on experience.

 

 

 

Mid-Autumn Festival - A Talk on the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance

The Tai Hang fire dragon dance is a festive activity that has been held for more than a hundred years. It was inscribed onto the third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011, and is one of the twenty items on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong. Every year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the residents of Tai Hang Village would perform a fire dragon parade around the village vicinity as a ritual to ward off evil and invoke blessings. The talk will be conducted by Mr. Chan Tak Fai, Commander-in-Chief of the annual event. He will talk about the crafting of the fire dragon, the ritual details such as consecration, the fire dragon dance, and the ‘sending off' of the dragon.   

 

 

 

A Docent Guide to the Autumn Ancestral Worship of Clans

Ancestral worship is a highly regarded tradition among the clans in the New Territories. Every year, around the time of the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal Equinox (in the fourth and ninth months on the lunar calendar), the clansmen would gather at the ancestral hall of their village or at the ancestors' graves to pay their respects in a ritual of worship. This activity will be in the form of a guided tour led by Mr. Tang Kwai Leung, a native of the Tang clan in Ha Tsuen. He will take the participants on a site visit to the Tang Ancestral Hall, offer details about the folk custom, its history and culture, and tell the stories behind the Hall.

 

 

 

Lecture on Quanzhen Temples Taoist Ritual Music

Taoist Ritual Music is performed during Taoist ceremonies. The two main schools are the Orthodox Unity tradition (Zhengyi) and the Complete Perfection tradition (Quanzhen). In Hong Kong, Quanzhen Temples Taoist Ritual Music has developed into a style with local characteristics over the years, with the influence of other music. In this lecture, Master Leung Tak Wah, Chairman of the Hong Kong Taoist Association, will share his experience in the preservation and transmission of the Quanzhen Temples Taoist Ritual Music. The participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy the uniqueness of the culture of Taoist Ritual Music through the demonstration.

 

 

 

Guided Tour of the Wong Tai Sin Temple

The belief that Wong Tai Sin will "grant every wish" is strongly rooted in the local community. Believers worship Wong Tai Sin by going to the temple or praying at home to ask for peace and well-being for the family. The Wong Tai Sin Temple is always full of incense burning under the management of the religious charitable organization Hong Kong Sik Sik Yuen. In addition to organizing temple fairs and lantern carnivals, the Temple is the only legal venue for Taoist wedding ceremonies in Hong Kong. In this tour of the Wong Tai Sin Temple, the participants will be guided by a Sik Sik Yuen docent to understand the history and architectural design of the Temple, as well as the beliefs and customs of the Wong Tai Sin, which principle is "to act benevolently and to teach benevolence".

 

 

 

Learning More about Herbal Tea – a Visit to Lui Seng Chun

Herbal tea ("leung cha" or "cooling tea") is a decoction of Chinese medicinal herbs and is considered to be a health drink. It is known to prevent excessive heat and dampness symptoms, to cool the body, and to prevent the common cold. It is made according to traditional Chinese medical theories, but is geared to the climate and natural environment of southern China. "Lui Seng Chun" was constructed in 1931 as a Chinese bone-setting medicine shop. The revitalized building is now a Chinese medicine clinic, which provides Chinese medical consultation services for the general public under the management of the School of Chinese Medicine of Hong Kong Baptist University. In this guided tour, the docent will guide participants around the Grade I monument building, to introduce the history of "Lui Seng Chun", the knowledge about herbal tea and the transmission of the making technique.

 

 

 

The Way of Inheritance ─ Lecture on the Basic Performing Skills and Movements of Cantonese Opera

The art of Cantonese opera is originated from life. With exquisite performing skills, performers lead audience into the fictional world to witness the ups and downs experienced by the characters. The seemingly most natural movements on stage, including some prescribed performing routines, are practiced repeatedly by actors so that they can perform with apparent ease. In this lecture, young Cantonese opera actor and actress, Hong Hai and Xie Xiaoyu will demonstrate the ways of expressing the characters' feelings by virtual and stylised physical movements of Cantonese opera and traditional stage gestures.

 

 

 

Lecture on the Taoist Ritual Tradition of the Zhengyi School 

Originating from the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong province, the Taoist ritual tradition of the Zhengyi School (Orthodox Unity tradition) in Hong Kong is a representative school in the Taoism tradition. The Taoist priests of the Zhengyi School are commonly known as "nahm mouh" masters by the Guangdong people. They hold Taoist rituals for celebratory functions, funerals, burials, and jiao festivals. The Taoist ritual tradition of the Zhengyi school has a strict regimen for music, rhythm and chanting. Under the influence of vernacular music of the Guangdong region, the Taoist rituals of the Zhengyi school of Hong Kong would adopt the techniques of nanyin (southern tunes) – a unique feature that make the chanting of this regional sect stands out among the rest. In this lecture, Professor Lai Chi Tim will explain the origin and ritual tradition of the Zhengyi School in Hong Kong, and explore the inheritance of Taoist customs in the local Chinese society from the unique rituals tradition, ritual procedure, preserving and passing on of the Zhengyi School.

 

 

 

Glamorous Makeup – Lecture cum Demonstration on the Cantonese Opera Makeup

The makeup on the stage of Cantonese opera is ever-changing, actors looked more attractive and lively by employing "eyebrow lifting" (eyebrows with raised upward tip of the brows) technique. Dan (female roles) could even modifies the shape of face by adjusting the wigs. Cantonese opera makeup is actually a prescriptive art with exaggeration and symbolism. Different colours and facial patterns denote different features and appearance of specific characters. In the lecture, young Cantonese opera performer Paris Wong, a professional "Male Dan" of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong will introduce the makeup process of the Cantonese opera performers and share with audience the tips of stage makeup and the beauty of dressing up for the Cantonese opera.

 

 

 

The Joy of Qin Making – Lecture on the Arts of Guqin (seven-stringed plucked instrument) Making Technique

Having a special cultural status in Chines art, guqin (seven-stringed plucked instrument) has a long history and qin players enjoy making one's own instrument. Qin making is a craft that starts with chopping and trimming a piece of wood, and requires different knowledge, including wood crafting, lacquer art, string tuning, calligraphy, and engraving, etc. Master Choi Chang Sau, a consummate devotee to the qin craftsmanship in Hong Kong, has been giving qin making classes since 1993. He keeps the tradition of making and playing one's own qin. As such, the tradition of making qin by the player becomes the characteristic of the Choi's arts of qin. This lecture will be given by the member of the Choi Chang Sau Qin Making Society who will share with participants the tools and procedure in qin making. Participants will have a chance to experience the making and playing of qin, and enjoying the music of the instrument.

 

 

 

The Joyful of Reunion: Lecture on the Jiao Festival of Hing Chun Yeuk

Villages in the New Territories used to form alliances (also known as "Yeuk") so as to strengthen their powers and to provide mutual support. Located in the northeast of the New Territories, "Hing Chun Yeuk" was formed by seven Hakka villages. In order to give thanks and offerings to the patron deities, the villagers determined to organise the jiao festival every ten years. Organised for blessing the area with peace, the Jiao Festival of Hing Chun Yeuk has become one of the most significant festive events in the Sha Tau Kok area. During the festival, religious rituals are carried out to pacify the wandering ghosts and to express gratitude to the patron deities, auspicious unicorn dance and Cantonese opera are also performed. Nowadays, villagers who have moved out of the villages will take this opportunity to gather together and strengthen the relationships among themselves. In 2019, the Jiao Festival of Hing Chun Yeuk will be held in December. The speaker, Mr. Chau Hing Wah will explain the origin, the rituals and the practices of the Jiao Festival, so that audience will know more about the significance the Jiao Festival from historical and cultural perspectives.