On Tin Hau's Birthday

Tossing paper offerings to the Goddess 

of the Sea on Tin Hau's Birthday

There was a festive air in Joss House Bay that day

Dancing lions and colorful flags are a must 

on such celebratory occasions :)

Three years ago, I took a ferry to Joss House Bay to check out the Tin Hau's Birthday celebrations at Hong Kong's oldest and largest Tin Hau Temple.  Each year since, I've thought about taking a day off from work to visit Joss House Bay on Tin Hau's Birthday again -- only to feel when the day approaches that there's too much to do at the office to do so. 

Thus it was that today, the 23rd day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar, found me at work once again on the birthday of the goddess variously known as Mazu, Matsu, Tian Fei and A-Ma as well as Tin Hau.

Looking back at the collection of Tin Hau's Birthday photos I took three years ago, I really hope that next year will see Tin Hau's Birthday falling on a weekend.  Failing that, I am hereby resolving to take the day off to join in the celebrations -- maybe at a different location such as Shap Pat Heung in Yuen Long district, which also sees major celebrating on that festive day.

In the meantime, here's posting up three more photos of Tin Hau's Birthday celebrations from my collection.  And if it weren't already obvious, I really do think it's very cool that there are people in "Asia's World City" who continue to take part in traditional activities that go back many centuries, not just decades. :)