Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival held in HK despite flu alert
2009-05-03 10:19:55 GMT2009-05-03 18:19:55 (Beijing Time)
Xinhua English
Spectators take photos as contestants participate in the Bun Scrambling-up Competition during Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival on Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong, South China, May 2, 2009.(Xinhua/Zhou Lei)
Spectators with facemasks watch contestants participating in the Bun Scrambling-up Competition during the Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival on Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong, South China, May 2, 2009.(Xinhua/Zhou Lei)
A vendor of a bun shop delivers buns during the Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival on Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong, South China, May 2, 2009.(Xinhua/Zhou Lei)
A festival-participating group promotes flu prevention during the Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival on Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong, South China, May 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)
The traditional Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival was held as usual despite that the Hong Kong Government has raised the flu alert level from "serious" to the highest level of "emergency".
The Tai Ping Qing Jiao Festival, also named the Bun Festival, is a combination of thanking gods for luck, praying to gods for safety and auspiciousness, furthermore, navigating the lost spirits. Parade, praying and bun scrambling-up competition are important events held during the festival.
