Supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade took place today (23 June) in the presence of the Club’s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So; Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing; Leisure & Culture Services Department Assistant Director (Heritage & Museums) Dr Louis Ng; Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O Chairman Fan Sum-kee and thousands visitors.
Mr So said that the Club was delighted to donate HK$350,000 to support the Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade, which could not only preserve the city’s cultural heritage but also enable the next generation to learn and understand more about the unique tradition.
Mr Tsang expressed his gratitude for the Trust’s support to help preserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong.
The ancient Tai O parade is different from other dragon boat activities. Leading up to the festival, paddlers from three fishermen’s associations will visit four temples, namely Yeung Hau, Tin Hau, Kwan Tei and Hung Shing, and then carry the deity statues back to their associations for worship. On the day of the festival, a small boat carrying the deity statues is towed by a dragon boat along the local waterways, aiming to bring health and well-being to the residents in Tai O.
The Jockey Club has been a staunch supporter of cultural preservation over the years. In early April, it announced funding of HK$2 million to support four local activities inscribed onto the third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in China in 2011, namely this year’s Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade, the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Parade and a field study and data collection project for the traditional Yu Lan Festival of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community. The donation also funds The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage (CACHe) to organise a related educational programme for the public.
With the Trust’s funding, the Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O and CACHe have organised seminars and field trip before the festival for the public to gain a better understanding of this 100-year-old religious ritual.
Apart from today’s event, the Club celebrates the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR as sole sponsor of two spectacular exhibitions by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, namely “The Majesty of All Under Heaven: The Eternal Realm of China’s First Emperor” and “A Lofty Retreat from the Red Dust: The Secret Garden of Emperor Qianlong”.
In addition, the Club supports The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups to organise a multimedia production “Our 15 Years – Youth Musical Performance” and will also stage The Hong Kong Reunification Cup and The 18 Districts Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse on 1 July, highlighting the way that horseracing brings together all sectors of the Hong Kong community, just as that historic date in 1997 reunited Hong Kong people with their compatriots.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.6 billion in 2011. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$15 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.
|
The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (2nd left) joins Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing (5th right); District Officer (Islands) of Home Affairs Department Danny Lau (4th right); Islands District Council Chairman Chow Yuk-tong (4th left); Deputy Division Chief New Territories Sub-Office Liaison Division of the Central Government's Liaison Office Deng Wei-sheng (3rd left); Leisure & Culture Services Department Assistant Director (Heritage & Museums) Dr Louis Ng (3rd right); Chief Curator of Hong Kong Heritage Museum Belinda Wong (2nd right); Representative of Board of Trustees of the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust Philip Kan (1st left); Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O Chairman Fan Sum-kee (5th left); Tai O Rural Committee Chairman Lee Chi-fung (1st right) and other guests at this yeara£á?s Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade.
|
The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So says the Club is delighted to support the Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade, which can not only preserve the citya£á?s cultural heritage but also enable the next generation to learn and understand more about the unique tradition.
|
|
(from left): The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So; Deputy Division Chief New Territories Sub-Office Liaison Division of the Central Government's Liaison Office Deng Wei-sheng; Islands District Council Chairman Chow Yuk-tong; Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O Chairman Fan Sum-kee; Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing and District Officer (Islands) of Home Affairs Department Danny Lau perform the traditional roast pig cutting ceremony.
|
The Cluba£á?s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (left) presents a flag to the representative of Hop Sim Tong (right), one of the fishermena£á?s associations in Tai O.
|
|
Photos 5, 6, 7, 8:
Tai O Traditional Dragon Boat Water Parade, with more than 100 years of history, attracts thousands visitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photos 9, 10, 11:
With the Cluba£á?s funding, the Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O and The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage have organised seminars and field trips for the public.
|
|
|
|
