Mid-autumn lanterns light up Tai O

2018-09-24 21:08:36

Three hundred lanterns illuminate Tai O to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, a week after the village took the brunt of one of the biggest typhoons to hit Hong Kong.

With concerted recovery efforts by government departments, community groups and volunteers, the waterside village has bounced back to host the Tai O Full Moon Fest.

Before the storm?s arrival, three residents formed the Tai O Fei Mao Li group to organise the festival, which showcases the charming village to the world with colourful festive lanterns lining scenic Kat Hing Street.

?I feel this street is very pretty, we believed we could improve how it looked at night, in a similar way to Taiwan and Japan using lanterns to beautify the environment,? Tai O Fei Mao Li organisation co-founder Samuel Wong said.

Fellow co-founder German Cheung said the festival will make the village more attractive to visitors.

?When visitors think about Tai O, they will think about salty fish and shrimp paste, and would only walk through the village once and leave.

?I began to think of ways to encourage them to stay longer, so this lantern festival is something I?ve always wanted to do.?

The festival, which debuts today, also features a four-metre long fish-shaped lantern made of recycled materials collected in the village made by organisation co-founder Hiyuki.

He said: ?I think the fish symbolises a fishing village, this is a koi so hopefully it will bring luck.?

Visitors can also enjoy musical performances and visit stalls to learn about Tai O culture.

Pleasant surprise

Village residents supported the festival and designed the lanterns with students and volunteers.

But just as festival preparations were in full swing, Super Typhoon Mangkhut was also en route to Hong Kong.

?When we heard about Mangkhut, I burst into tears because I heard that it could destroy all the stilt houses. And it came at a time when we were planning the project to preserve Tai O culture,? Ms Cheung said.

Having lived in Tai O all her life, Ms Cheung has seen many typhoons come and go. She has encountered disappointment and been discouraged by past recovery efforts in the village.

This year however, she was pleasantly surprised.

?2008?s Typhoon Hagupit was a storm of the century. Government departments and community groups didn?t know how to handle it.

?A decade later with Mangkhut, the handling of the storm was the best I?ve seen. Government departments, the community and volunteers, they all stepped up to help.?

She also hoped the Tai O people?s post-typhoon unity could positively influence the whole of Hong Kong.

With recovery efforts making good progress, residents could once again focus on the festival.

Now that the lanterns are back up, the group wants to extend the festival to the end of the National Day golden week to attract more tourists and to spur Tai O?s economy.

?I hope people can be smiling and enjoy the festival and be reunited with each other,? Hiyuki said.

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