In a large scale project to promote local traditional festivals the Gigantic Bun Tower, a solemn Buddha statue and decorative billboards are featured Thursday at the Central Ferry Piers in Hong Kong to mark the opening of the Culture and Heritage Celebration.

Organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Culture and Heritage Celebration is one of the highlights of Discover Hong Kong Year. It showcases four traditional festivals including the birthdays of deities Tin Hau, the Lord Buddha and Tam Kung, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival and actively promotes local celebrations.

Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael Hui, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Selina Chow and other guests opened the event at the Central Ferry Piers on Thursday evening.

Selina Chow said that such ventures were worth promoting especially to overseas visitors. Other sides of Hong Kong were being showcased as it was being explained that although it was a paradise for shopping and dining Hong Kong was also a place with rich, traditional folk customs.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has invested around 9 million HK dollars (about 1.16m U.S. dollars) in the project. Chow said more than 1 million tourists were expected to participate in the  activities.

General Manager of Destination Marketing for the Tourism Board, Lambert Chan, explained the  event was designed to increase visitors and local residents' interest in traditional festivals and encourage them to participate in the celebrations.

The Tourism Board also cooperated with local travel agents and arranged tours for overseas visitors which allowed them to become involved in the celebrations in various districts of Hong Kong, said Chan. These included the Cheung Chau and Lantau Island districts, he said.

A Temple Fair is recreated at the Central Ferry Piers for the celebration to give visitors an introduction to the festivals as well as a whole range of other cultural and heritage activities which are going on.

As a landmark of the Temple Fair a 15-meter tall Bun Tower which is erected close to the entrance of the Fair. A series of Pai Lau (traditional decorative billboards) forms grand entrance.

The Fair is divided into three themed areasa--Blessing Zone, Wishing Zone and Performance Zone. The entrance of the Blessing Zone features a pair of 6-meter high "Fa Pau" (floral paper offerings) for celebration of the Tin Hau festival while inside the Zone there’s a 2.5-meter Buddha statue and bathing stand.

At the Wishing Zone 12 zodiac lanterns are featured and there are booths for fortune telling and handicrafts. Wishing cards for visitors are available.

Visitors can enjoy various types of performance including Cantonese Opera, Chinese dance and Kung Fu demonstrations by Shaolin junior monks from mainland Henan. ne.

There are booths displaying arts and crafts, the art of Chinese grasshopper making will be explained, the making of flour dolls demonstrated and calligraphy displayed. Fortune-tellers and stalls selling traditional festive snacks will also be part of the day.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2006)